Lucky Coincidence
by Twilightlvrfreak
Summary: Bella has always been a loner, she has only ever had one boyfriend,so she knows there isn’t someone out there for her, but what happens when she meets a guy at the gym and with her clumsiness is it a Lucky Coincidence? AH IC BETTER FULL SUMMARY INSIDE!
1. The First Sighting

SUMMARY: Bella is a loner, always has been, she has only ever had one boyfriend, and that was in high school, and it didn't end well on Bella's end. Bella believes in giving up on guys all together, she knows there isn't someone out there for her, but what happens when she meets this guy at the gym, by her clumsiness, will it just be a lucky coincidence that it was her true love? AH IC normal pairings!

**A/N: HEY PEOPLE!!!!**

**This is a story me and my Beta "the towns been talkin" are writing! I personally wrote all of chapter 1 with some guidance by the towns been talkin, ok maybe it was me being self conscious and constantly sending her what I had written so far…but either way! I wrote this chapter and I personally think it is my best writing ever. I love this style and yeah!**

**I REALLY hope you guys enjoy this!!! And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Read and review!!!! We want to know what you think of our story idea!!!!**

**So sit back relax and enjoy chapter 1 of Lucky Coincidence.**

**DISCLAIMER: NEITHER I Twilightlvrfreak NOR The towns been talkin OWNS TWILIGHT!!!!! I KNOW IT SUCKS right?!!!**

Lucky coincidence- chapter 1- the first sighting

It started as any normal day.

My alarm went off with that obnoxious beeping at five o'clock AM, I swatted my hand at the off button a few times and eventually made purchase with the actual off button after a few failed attempts of turning the radio on- a loud and obnoxious buzzing sound I guess I wasn't on a channel, and turning on my iPod and changing songs. I rolled out of my twin size bed in my one room ground floor apartment, and stumbled to my bathroom and into a hot shower. I loved hot showers they feel so good, relaxing your muscles, and warming your skin. Anyway, I hopped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body and then twisted one into my hair turban style.

I padded into my room and got into my sweatpants, sports bra, and t-shirt, grabbed a pair of white socks from the drawer and slipped on my tennis shoes, pulling the laces tight. I grabbed my iPod out of my iHome and plugged my ear buds and wrapped them around the iPod; I stuffed it into my sweatpants pocket. I kept my hair in the towel as I walked into my small kitchen- my hair takes forever to dry. I popped a piece of bread into the toaster, got out a bowl, a plate, and some frosted mini wheat's from the cupboard, walked over to my fridge and swung the large door open, grabbing the skim milk and the low-fat butter for my toast. I then walked back to the island and poured out some cereal into the bowl and then the milk onto the cereal, screwed the cap back on, and walked back to the still open fridge to put the milk back, closing the door this time. By this time my toast had popped up out of the toaster perfectly golden brown and I picked up the little tongs that always sit next to the toaster, I plucked the piece of toast out and dropped it on the plate. I grabbed a spoon and a knife out of the drawer, stuck the spoon in the cereal and started spreading the butter on the toast before the toast cooled and the butter wouldn't melt. I spread the butter over every millimeter of the toast, making sure there were no dry spots on it and then used the knife to cut off just the crust- the littlest amount of bread possible going with it. I snapped the lid back on the butter and quickly put it back in the fridge.

I picked up the bowl and the plate and walked over to my small table. It was up next to a large window overlooking the grass and little pond behind the apartments. I walked over to my door unlocked the deadbolt, pulled back the chain and popped out the doorknob lock, opened my door and grabbed the newspaper, closed the door, and then relocked the deadbolt only. I walked back over to my small table and plopped myself down onto one of the two padded chairs unfolding the paper and pushing it back behind the plate and dropped one hand to grab my piece of toast and take a large bite, it gave a nice crunch, but it was nice and soft in the middle- perfect.

I skimmed over the death and destruction that was the first section of the newspaper mainly just reading the headlines and captions and looking at the pictures. I then picked up the last part in the newspaper, the commitments section, the one section that not many people read, but it was my favorite part. I loved reading the wedding and engagement announcements with stories of the beautiful weddings, how the couples met, and all of that. I just had a soft spot for that kind of stuff, maybe it was why I worked at the local jewelry store. I loved watching all of the happy people coming in and out, the soon to be fiancés and engaged couples for wedding band fittings, especially when I haven't had a true lasting relationship since high school.

Oh, I should probably introduce myself, my name is Isabella Marie Swan, but I go by Bella. I am 23 years old and just graduated from Washington State College with a business degree. I work at Forks Jewelry Store and I am the manager there. I am and always have been a loner, only having a few good friends throughout my life. My best friend that I have known since kindergarten is Angela Weber I have done everything with her since we met; we know everything about each other. She was lucky and found her true love Ben in high school and they got married during College, we had been roommates for one year, and then they moved in together, and then got engaged, and then got married. Angela is expecting a baby girl in six months now and she is very excited.

Anyway, back onto my life, I live in a small, nice, and affordable one room apartment by myself in an apartment complex on the outskirts of Port Angeles by Forks. I am somewhat of a perfectionist, but that is almost always ruined by my clumsiness.

Back to my day, when I was half done with my breakfast it was time to take the towel turban off and I walked quickly into my bathroom tipping my head over, the towel falling over and untwisting itself and falling to the tiled floor, I picked it up and hung it up on the towel rack. I walked back to my little table with my long hair in a wavy mess surrounding my face; I felt it swinging on my back.

I was finally done eating my cereal and toast and I refolded the paper, laying it down in the middle of the table. I got up and walked to the sink, pulling up on the handle turning the water on, I rinsed off the plate, bowl, spoon and knife, shut off the water, opened the dish washer door, and placed the silverware, plate and bowl in their correct places. I shut the dish washer with a small slam and walked back into my room.

I grabbed my drawstring backpack from the top of my dresser pulling open the top and yanked out my sweats and t-shirt from yesterday and tossed them in the hamper. I laid the small back pack on my bed and walked into my closet, looking for something nice to wear to work. I really would rather not wear the nice and dressy clothes, but it was dress code for the job, it's a nice jewelry store, so we employees have to wear nice clothes.

I picked out a pair of straight legged, black dress pants that had a crease in the front, and a pale pink long sleeve shirt that was thinly striped with, a darker shade of pink and black. I folded them neatly and put them in the backpack with a pair of shiny black flats. All of my shoes have to be flats; high heeled shoes and klutziness don't mix at all well so I avoided them completely. I even avoided kitten heals when I could. See I was the kind of clumsy person that trips over the simplest things; like air and my own feet. Anyways, I folded up the clothes neatly and put them carefully in the back pack, along with my shoes, some toiletries, and a hair dryer.

I walked into my bathroom brushed my teeth. And then brushed through my hair, it went down to my mid-back, it was a mousy brown, and it was thin, it has a slight wave to it, and does absolutely nothing except ,with some brushing, goes into a ponytail. I did just that, pulling and brushing my hair into a high ponytail. I pulled back my side bangs and clipped them flat to the top of my head with a small barrette.

I grabbed my backpack and drew the strings tight, slung it over my shoulder and grabbed my purse and keys. I unlocked the deadbolt on the door, and stepped out into the bright morning light of six o' clock in the morning; I turned around reaching around the door to twist the little knob to lock the door handle and then pulled the door shut, I pulled out the right key from my key ring with the multitude of keys, and locked the dead bolt.

I walked over to my trusty old truck and then manually unlocked the door, as the only way to do it. I hopped into the driver's seat tossing my little backpack and purse onto the passenger seat. I stuck the key in the ignition and turned it bringing it loudly to life. I clicked my seatbelt into place, and I shifted it into reverse, I looked down at the clock and realized I was about five minutes late, I would have to hurry. I started pulling out of my parking lot when I heard a loud and long horn beep from behind me. My head snapped around and I saw a shiny silver Volvo directly behind my car and only about a foot away. Crap, in my hurry I had forgotten to look behind me. I waved in apology to the person in the Volvo and quickly cranked down my window to yell out a "so sorry". The Volvo sped off turning onto the main road. I now being super careful and slow anyway, took another few minutes to get out of the parking lot. I drove down the road a couple of miles turned right and then left into my gym. I parked in the only open spot, the one spot farthest from the door of course, and got out, grabbing my purse and backpack. I start trudging my way towards the gym, when a glimmer in the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was a silver Volvo one car away. I wonder if it could be the same guy that I almost smashed this morning, no it couldn't be, there has to be so many silver Volvos out there, there is hardly any chance it could be the same person.

I walked in the front doors, smiling at the receptionist at the front desk. She smiled back and waved. I walked through the door marked "women's locker room" and walked into the corner, where the locker I usually use is. I pull up the little plastic handle on the locker door, I pull the door open and it shudders a little from rubbing against the frame of the locker. I pick my wallet out of my purse, taking out a dollar, and setting it on the bench that was in front of the lockers, and shove my purse to the back of the locker, and I sit down on the bench. I yank open the top and dig around to the bottom till I came up with my lock. I tightened the top of the backpack once more and setting it on the one shelf in the tiny locker. I shut the door, with another shudder, unlocked my blue sparkly combination lock- 20 48 12, and slipped it through the hole in the plastic handle. I pushed up the bottom of the lock, snapping it locked. I stood up, grabbed my dollar off the bench and walked out of the locker room; I headed over to the reception desk, where Holly had already taken out my usual water bottle. She was on the phone, like usual, and I dropped the dollar on the keyboard of her computer and grabbed the water bottle. She smiled at me and I smiled back. I mouthed a thank you at her, and she winked her welcome.

I grabbed a small complimentary towel on my way over to the treadmill, and turned pressed the start key, it started at 1 a slow walking pace, placed my water bottle in the cup holder and slung the small towel over the long handle that was next to the side of the treadmill. I stepped up onto the little railing on the sides of the treadmill. I hopped on falling into step with the movement, stumbling a little because of my clumsiness. I pulled my iPod out of my pocket and pushed the hold button off, I went to my playlists and picked the one titled work out music, I scrolled through until I got to a song I felt like listening to first, it was Eyes on Fire, I pushed the ear buds into my ears and raised the volume up high enough to drown out the noises of all the other people and equipment, I hated the nasty sound of people grunting and panting.

I looked up from the small screen of my yellow –that-looks-more-like-golden iPod Nano fourth generation to see _him. _He was over in the weights part of the gym doing arm curls. He was wearing a tight gray t-shirt and I could see his muscles roll in his upper arm. I could see the darker spot of gray on his chest from his sweat. I couldn't stop watching him, he was so- there wasn't a word for it, he had sharp beautiful features, nice biceps, and what looked like really nice abs. It was the first time I had seen someone so beautiful; ever.

I was walking on auto pilot will walking on the treadmill. Like a robot. I just couldn't stop staring, my brain was like it was frozen and I couldn't move from what I was doing, or move my eyes from him. I watched him as he slowly put down the blue weight, I think it is 20 pounds, wow, and he stood up and rubbed a towel over his face. He started to walk towards me and the locker rooms. He was all I could see, and all that was there, it was like an old movie, and I swear he was walking in slow motion. He ran a hand through his already untidy bronze hair and he looked towards me, our eyes met and he smiled a crooked smile that made my heart stutter, he winked at me. I felt my arm rise from my side and my fingers flutter a wave. His smile becomes more pronounced and I want to die in a hole, my mouth is probably stuck in a goofy grin, but I have no idea all I can think about is him, I watch him as he tosses his towel in the bin and the walks out the door, looking back at me one more time, and "OOF! Ow!" I was sprawled across the floor face down at the end of the treadmill. Great, I had lost track of where I had been and when I turned around to watch him go my legs had stopped moving. Great, just great, now he must think I'm a total idiot. I looked up to see him passing the last window of the front of the gym and he had his mouth covered. Great, just great, so I get to see and get flirted on by a hot guy, but then I have to show my klutziness. Perfect. Oh, wait! There he is again! He's getting into his car! It's a silver Volvo…GREAT. Knowing my luck he is probably the guy I almost ran over this morning. Ugh. I drop my head to the floor. "Oww…" I mutter, getting up onto my hands and knees, and then unsteadily to my feet. I grab my towel and my water bottle. Unscrew the top of the water bottle and chug it, hoping to douse the fire that I knew must be in my cheeks right now as a blush from my stupidness.

I walk over to the towel bin and toss it in on top of his and then walk into the locker room and to my locker in the back corner. I spin the combination lock- 20 48 12- and then open it pull out my backpack yank it open and grab my work clothes, and toiletries. I toss the backpack back in the locker and relock it. Walking to one of the curtained shower and changing areas. I place my clothes on the small bench in the changing area and take out my soap from the toiletries. I turn on the shower getting it hot, and I take off my t-shirt, shoes, socks, sweatpants, and then my underwear, I turn the cold water on in the shower a bit so it won't be scalding and hop into it, getting myself wet, and then I scrub myself quickly with soap. I rinse my body off and hop out, turning off the water. Crap. I forgot to grab a couple towels. I grab my large work out t-shirt and peek out around the curtain; phew no one is out there. I tiptoe out from behind the protective curtain and walk quickly over to the pile of towels. I grab two towels and quickly run back into the shower stall. Phew no one came in, and no one saw me. I wrap my hair in a towel and rub dry the rest of my body. I throw on my work clothes, all except my shoes; grab my work out clothes and pad back to my corner locker tossing one of the towels in the towel bin on the way. I quickly unlock it and grab my backpack I pull out my hairdryer, brush and work shoes and then shove in my clothes. I tighten the strings shove it back into the locker and close it. Not locking it this time I will be able to watch it now. I put on my shoes, and grab the brush and hair dryer, I walk to the large communal mirror and plug in the hair dryer I put down my hair from the towel, wet the towel on the counter and then start to brush through my hair quickly. I pick up the hair dryer and start to blow it on my hair drying it. I brush it as I do so, so it won't get as knotty, my hair knots really easily, and quickly have my whole head done. I leave my hair down now, I unplug the hair dryer and grab the brush and towel, and I drop this towel in the bin and continue to my locker. I open it and pull out my bag; I shove my hair dryer and brush in it and grab my purse from the bottom. I shut the locker and grab my lock dropping it too into the backpack; I tighten the drawstrings and walk out of the locker room. I wave to Holly the receptionist on my way out; she was still on the phone. I make it to my car, unlock the door, hop in, put the key in the ignition and twist it starting it up. I pull it into reverse, make sure to look behind me, and I back out of my parking spot, I pull it into drive and get on my way to work.

**A/N: sooo? WHAT DID YOU THINK?!?! How was my writing? Was it alright?!? PLEASE TELL ME!!!!!! I NEED to know!!! Im dying here!!!!! So please do share your thoughts!!! It will be greatly appreciated!!! And I will be replying to all of the reviews!!! So yeah!! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT!!! Great. Did I just show my insecurities again? Crap. I have to work on that…**


	2. Just My Luck

**A/N:**

**Hey guys! **

**We are back with another chapter of Lucky Coincidence!!**

**This chapter is the towns been talkin and she wrote all of the beginning and I wrote the ending…..this is a VERY important chapter!! So I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!! When u have finished please review!!! We didn't get many reviews on the first chapter at all!!! And so please please please review on this chapter!!!!! **

**Thank you to all of you that did read review favorite and alert!!!**

**Thank you!!!! **

**Hope you enjoy!!!**

**DISCLAIMER: NEITHER OF US OWN TWILIGHT….I KNOW WE ARE SAD TOO!!!!! **

Lucky Coincidence – Chapter 2 – My stupid luck

I got to work in a trance-like state, I pulled into my normal spot; the spot one left of the one right in front of the door and jumped out of the car. Like I mentioned before I work at the Forks Jewelry Store as the manager. Angela is the only employee -we don't get much business- so in a way I am her boss, which has its advantages. I had always wanted to work at the jewelry store since I've been in Forks and finally I got my wish. See I am a romantic and so all the couples coming in for wedding bands, and the men coming in for engagement rings, and people just coming in to get their sweethearts something makes my heart swell. I think I am such a gung-ho romantic because of the lack of romance in my life. I remember when I became a romantic; it was after I had read this series of vampire books _The Twilight Saga _when I was thirteen. And since then I have been a huge romantic ever since. But, I have paid for my mistakes of just wanting romance and rushing into a relationship with Mike Newton-

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I was distracted by the loud noise coming from the back of the room. Angela was sitting in front of this huge fan that was oh high and making quite a racket. She was sitting directly in front of it, but still was sweating bullets; she is always so much warmer than me since the pregnancy in rooms.

"Finally! Bella. The air conditioning died!" Angela said, frantic.

"Ang. You didn't turn it on," I laughed but it wasn't that full, I was still just stuck in the trance. Turning on the air, I sat down next to Angela and stared blankly at the wall thinking of _him_.

"Bells, what's up?" she asked, she of course had noticed my trance and distractedness.

"Well I met this guy … okay I didn't meet him but I saw him at the gym…and well I just can't stop thinking about him!" I told dreamily, but a little frustrated, the gym guy- as I have dubbed him not knowing his name- had laughed at my clumsiness and I didn't even know his name so why is it I couldn't stop thinking about him!

"Oooh … ?" she yet again pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked at her, her eyebrows were raised, her hands were folded on the top of her getting big tummy.

"He was over in the weights. Oh, Ang. He was so … so … godlike," finally picking a word to describe him best- "He was far enough away I couldn't see too many details about his face and eyes, but her had handsome chiseled features. And oh man he was so muscular. Great abs too. And he had the most beautiful untidy bronze hair. And a beautiful crooked smile! Ang. I haven't felt like this since High School! And then it just came crashing down around me with Mike cheating on me on the beach, doing it with her, with Jessica. And just after we had professed and acted on our love. I thought he was the one. And he dumped me for a slut. I haven't looked at a man like this since then! And then he comes along …" I remembered back to this morning yet again going through the time at the gym, and then the end of my workout came rushing into my mind.

"But of course, me and my clumsiness. I fell off the treadmill and he saw and was laughing! That was how I saw his smile," I cried.

"Aww, Bells, don't worry about it, anyone would have laughed. And maybe he didn't see and was laughing at something else outside," she tried to comfort me.

"No. He saw. I fell just as he walked past me. There was _no way_ he couldn't have seen me! And I know he was laughing at me! Like you said anyone would have laughed!" I said. She just grimaced.

"But oh Ang. He was just so perfect. Tall masculine and oh so handsome. I just can't get over him. He has been filling my mind! And I can't get him out! I just keep thinking of his muscles rolling as he did arm curls. His abs I could see was a six-pack from underneath his tight shirt-,"

I heard the ringing of the bells on the door, that the owner insisted to be put up, I guess it was good in this situation because otherwise I would have had no idea someone came in. "Hi, welcome to Forks Jewelry Store," I said as routine in my most cheery voice, without looking up.

"But anyway, I can't stop thinking about his beautiful bronze hair, untidy yet totally perfect. He's just so perfect, his hair, his muscles, his handsome chiseled features, he has to be the most handsomest guy I have seen in ages, and it was like love at" I said but Angela grunted and pointed. "Angela, I know someone is here." But she kept pointing, so I gave in and looked at the person who was standing over by the ring case. "Love at … first … sight …,"I muttered awestruck at what I was seeing. "Oh my god ... it's ... Ang it's _him_!" I breathed.

"Oh my GOD! Seriously?! Go talk to him! Go now! The MANAGER-," she raised her voice while saying my status in this business obviously trying to impress him "can wait on people once in a while. And anyway, I don't feel like getting up."

"No-no I can't go and wait on him! I will make a complete and utter fool of myself!"

"No you won't. Just go up there and talk to him. Don't worry. You will do great."

"No I can't do this. I can't. I can't!" I pleaded.

"Yes you can now go!" she pushed me up out of the metal folding chair and kicked my butt to push me farther.

"Say something!" she hissed and then I heard her shift in her chair probably to look the other way. Give us our privacy.

"H-h-h-hi." I stuttered, great. "Do you need any help?"

"Um, yes, I think I might need some help," he said looking up from the ring case. Our eyes met, and it was like there was a deep connection between us, this _has _to be love at first sight.

He smiled that beautiful crooked smile I saw through the window at the gym.

He chuckled, "How's your head?"

"Huh?" I said, lifting my left hand to touch my forehead. I saw his eye dart to my fourth finger, my ring finger, quickly, almost absentmindedly. He seemed pleased by the absence of a ring, his smiled widened a little, showing more of his beautiful and perfect pearly whites.

"You fell. At the gym? Tripped off the treadmill. Looked like a hard fall."

"Oh. That," I forced a laugh, trying to look laidback, "I'm fine. I'm used to that type of thing happening to me …"

"Oh, so falling off treadmills is normal for you," he smirked raising his eyebrows.

"Oh no. Not falling off treadmills, just being clumsy in general."

"Oh, so you're the type, like the damsel in distress that a prince has to save."

My heart expanded, he's romantic too. I laughed again, but only partially forced, I was excited and happy to talk more to him. "Yep! Sounds like me!"

"Well, so I guess you must work your prince a lot, if tripping off treadmills is normal …"

"Oh. There isn't a prince …"

"Oh really? A beautiful girl like you doesn't have a prince? Shocker."

He called me beautiful! He called me beautiful! He called me beautiful!

"Um, anyway," he said, shaking his head a little like as to clear a thought from his mind. "I am here to look for an engagement ring."

And then all of my excitement came crashing down like the World Trade Buildings on 9/11. My face fell I felt it, and then my employee skills must have kicked in, because I plastered a smile onto my face, and asked in a cheery voice, "What kind of engagement ring are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for something special, not really big, but something that would stand out, something really beautiful," he explained.

"Well there are sets of two rings or these with single bands. Most are diamonds …because they are engagement rings. These here are the best sellers, they are kind of expensive, but It just depends on how much you care about the girl," I faked a smile and a laugh. My system was slowing shutting down I couldn't believe it. Why is it that I have such bad luck with guys? First Mike the cheater, and now hotty hot hotty gym guy that's about to be engaged. Well I guess could scratch this guy off my list … but I just _can't_.

"I don't have much of a budget. And of course I care about the girl more than anything. I am about to make her my fiancé."

"Alright, well, what are you looking for?"

"Like I said before… I'm looking for something special, not really big, but something that would stand out, something really beautiful."

"Oh right…" stupid stupid stupid, "Well, here is our smaller diamonds, there is the solitary diamond," I said gesturing to that section of the case, "There is the smaller main diamond, and diamonds lining the top of the ring. Shown here," I said pointing to the section of those rings, "There are these, in which there is a diamond in the middle and then some small sapphires in the ring surrounding the diamond." I passed my hand over that section of the few rings over the glass, "As I said before, there is the engagement ring with a fitting and matching wedding band. These here are those. There is also the ones that having a matching wedding band for the"- the word seemed to stick in my throat- "groom."

"I think she would like the single engagement ring. No other colors, just the diamond. And something with a few extra diamonds than the main large one. But, not too many, just a few."

"That would bring you to this section here." I said unlocking the back of the case, squatting down and pulling out the single box that had twenty rings all of similar style out of the case, I placed them on the top of the glass case in front of 'gym guy', "These are pretty much all we have that sound like the style you were thinking of."

"Yes, these look good; I will look at these and see what I think."

He bent over the rings, pushing a leg behind him and leaning on his elbows on the top of the counter. He studied them for what felt like a really long time, especially since I was forced to stand there staring at him so in case he needed help or wanted to look at a different batch. I stood there, as I watched him study the rings picking them up with his long pale fingers out of the velvet to look at them closer. He placed them back into the velvet gingerly as though they were fragile. He had a look of great concentration on his face, I could tell he really cared for the girl; he was really trying to get just the right ring. I couldn't stop watching him, his long fingers, how his upper arm muscles were all tense from leaning on his arms the way he was and seeing them roll whenever he would reach for the next ring. I watched his beautiful green eyes flicker from ring to ring looking for the next one to examine.

Finally, he looked up into my face holding up a silver ring in his hand, it was a beautiful one, with a modest diamond set on the top and three little diamonds on each side lay in the band that was skinny the rest of the way around. (.com/category/10/5/item/10-1-2293/ the engagement ring in question)

"I think this is the right one. Its beautiful, and perfect, I think she will love it."

"Alright," I said stepping forward, making sure that the smile was plastered on my face. "That ring there huh? It is very pretty." And I forced the words we are forced to say to any man who buys a ring slightly through my teeth, "I'm sure she will love it."

"I sure hope so."

I picked the rest of the not liked rings in the velvet case and placed it back in the glass case, and locked it. I picked the next key on the ring and squatted down farther to open the storage part of the case where we keep the little velvet square ring boxes. I came up from underneath the counter, turned around and grabbed the list of the rings.

"May I see it for a second so I can see its barcode?"

"Of course," He passed me the ring, and our fingers touched as we both held the ring for the split second. A shot of pleasant tingles ran up my arm, as I pulled my hand away I could still feel his touch and the tingles in my finger tips.

I turned the ring over to look at the barcode. I found the number on my master list.

"It would be that much there," I said pointing to the spot on the sheet where this particular ring was. His eyes widened a little when he saw the price. This ring wasn't exactly cheap.

"Alright, that's fine, I will get it."

"This large diamond here is 1.90 carats, this is authentic silver, and there is a separate matching wedding band for when you come back to look at wedding bands so you know."

"Thank you. That is great, it is very beautiful."

I walked behind the counter to the register, he followed outside the counter.

I scanned the barcode on the bottom of the ring and the price popped up on the little screen.

"Cash or Credit?"

"Credit. Who in the world would carry that much cash?" He said pulling the wallet out of his back pocket and pulling out a platinum credit card. So he was rich too.

"There have been some men that have come in here that paid for a more expensive ring, in cash. But, I agree, it's crazy."

"Yes, very odd." He handed me the square piece of plastic and I ran it through the swiper. I held it in my hand for a moment waiting to make sure the crappy register would print the receipt.

"I.D. please."

"Here ya go," He handed me his driver's license. I took it in my free hand and looked at the picture of him. It was beautiful, even as a crappy license picture, I found his birth date on the license quickly wondering how old he is. June 20, 1986. He is 23 years old, just like me. I looked down to his name quickly and see that it is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen. _Edward_. It fits him, it fits him well, he seems like an Edward. Oh he must be the son of that doctor in town. Dr. Carlisle Cullen.

"Alright here is your ID and credit card."I said passing them back to him. He lifted his right hand and took them from my uplifted hand. Our fingers brushed again and I felt the tingling sensation run up my arm and stay in my fingers.

"And here is the receipt if you could just sign it right there," I said ripping it from the machine, grabbing a pen and laid them on the counter in front of him. He finished shoving his wallet in his pocket and picked up the pen and signed the stores receipt with a small neat handwriting. He pushed the receipt and pen forward toward me. I picked them up, putting the pen back in the cup and laid the receipt on the counter next to the register. I ripped off his copy of the receipt and handed it to him.

"And here is you copy. Now you have fourteen days if you would like to return it as long as you have the receipt." "But, I will recognize you and will know that you bought it here." Oh crap. I actually just said that. I looked down quickly and I could feel the blush rise in my cheeks. Stupid stupid stupid.

"I will just clip off the barcode and wrap it in the box." I said lifting my face, with of course that plastered on smile.

I grabbed the little ring box off the counter, pulled open the lid, and I placed the ring in the cushion of velvet. I snapped it shut, and grabbed a box from under the register, opened the lid and put a little bit of tissue paper on the bottom and up the sides. I placed the little ring box in the slightly larger silver box with the Forks Jewelry Store logo.

I grabbed a small opaque black plastic bag and placed the ring inside.

"Here you go…. Edward. Have a nice day, and I hope to see you back here before the wedding!" I smiled one last fake smile at him. He smiled back.

"Thank you. You too. I hope to see you too. Bye."

"Bye."

And Edward Cullen, the guy I had fallen in love with at first sight, walked out the door.

I went to the door to watch him go my heart tightening. I saw him get into a silver Volvo. Oh my God. The guy in my condo parking lot this morning couldn't be him. No way. That would just be one of those _lucky lucky _coincidences. Mark my sarcasm in lucky.

I watched as he drove out of the parking lot, and then around the corner and out of sight.

I walked numbly back to my metal folding chair and collapsed into it. Letting my shock and somewhat grief crash down on me. The only guy I have liked since high school is getting married.

**A/N: soooo??? WHAT DID YOU THINK!?!?!? **

**The towns been talkin wrote the beginning of this chapter….and I finished it up…and WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT!!!! TELL ALL TELL ALL!!! We want to know!!! And where can u do that? IN A REVIEW OF COURSE!!!! Hahaha **

**So please review!!!!**


	3. An Actual Lucky Coincidence

**A/N: Hey guys!!!! Sorry it took SOOOOO long to post this one!!! I have been SUPER busy since we posted last….and I didn't have time to type up this chapter!!!! GRRR! I didn't like it either!!! I have felt SO bad for not posting….and then I have Back to Forks to work on too……so I was reallllllyyyyyy jammed for time to type this…..and so I am happy to present this chapter to you! I like the plot of this chapter…..i think I MAY have gone a LITTLE melodramatic…..BUT you shall see! Please tell me what you think in a review! Tell me if it WAS too much or if I am just being too self conscious….**

**Now back to forks readers DO NOT FRET! I have already started on Back to Forks a lot…and don't have much less to type! So that WILL be posted soon! I meant to work on it Thursday night….last night….but I got caught up in other stuff…. Like this chapter for this story…and perusing JK Rowlings AWESOME website…..and watching the special on her yesterday evening….sooo yeah SO SORRY! **

**ANYWAY! BACK TO THIS STORY! This is a good chapter! I hope you like it! And I am DYING to know what you think of it!!!!! So please review at the end PLEASE! PLEASE!!!**

**DISCLAIMER! We do NOT own twilight. The characters. Anything recognizable from the books…. **

Lucky Coincidence- chapter 3- An Actual Lucky Coincidence

"Man my feet are killing me!" Angela complained lowering herself into her designated folding chair. She pulled around my chair, scraping it along the floor until it was sitting in front of her. She threw her  
feet up onto the chair and then leaned back. She reached down next to her, to the small mini-fridge that we kept water and sometimes our lunches in, and grabbed a water bottle. She opened it and poured some water in her mouth quickly swallowing it and taking another swig. She does this every day, walks around the store for a couple hours waiting on a few customers, complains, collapses into a chair, takes my chair for her feet, and chugs a water bottle. We have been going through water bottles three times as much the past few months as she has become farther along in her pregnancy and it is costing us money.

My head is spinning with thoughts of him. Of Edward. I keep seeing him behind my eyelids and hearing his velvety voice in my ears, I can still feel his touch on my fingertips, where they are still a little bit  
tingly. Why why why does he have to get married! It's just not fair!  
"Ugh, my back is killing me!" Angela's complaints pull me out of my inner rant.  
"Mhm. Sorry," I mumble.  
"And I still have months left of my pregnancy! 3 months to be exact! God, and by then my back is going to be hurting so bad! And I will be all swollen and fat."  
"Well at least you have someone to love and someone to love you back! And after all of this pain now guess what labor is worse! And Ben will be there for you then too! So will I!" I finally snapped. Her complaining is enough, I get that she's pregnant and she's moody, but she should count her blessings and not the bad. "And you know what happens after all that 'pain' you will have a beautiful baby in your arms to love and cherish forever! Be happy for what good you have instead of the little  
bad stuff you have thrust upon you to have the good things!"  
"Just because you don't get to have this one guy doesn't mean you can get all bitchy!"  
"But, that's a two way street. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you can be all bitchy either!"  
"I'm moody! I have pregnancy hormones!"  
"I'm depressed because I just found out that the man I finally would like to be with is getting married! But, you don't see me sitting here complaining your head off! I understand that you're pregnant but could  
you maybe think about how I am feeling right now? Or do you care for more than yourself?"

She just stared at me, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "I didn't think so. But maybe you just need to hear what some other people are going through! Did you not hear me before when I was going  
on and on about this guy and how much he intrigued me and that I looked at him like that with interest for myself. I think I fell in love with him. Love at first sight. But, of course with my luck, oh wait I don't  
have any luck, I first embarrassed myself in front of him, terribly, I mean who falls of a treadmill! And then I find out that he could be the guy I almost smashed my car into this morning in the parking lot of my  
apartments when he leaves the parking lot of here where I just found out that the guy I fell in love with, even before I knew his name, was getting married to another woman! And all this to the first guy I have looked at, at all, in over five years! You know how much Mike tore me up, I couldn't trust a guy again, we were in love, we showed our love for each other, in the back of his car, on the beach, and then he dumps  
me for Jessica! The school slut! And now this? Now getting my heart broken again now five years later because the guy I fell in love with is getting married to someone else. And you didn't even care to ask if  
I was ok after he left the shop. You do know you are so lucky to have Ben, the love of your life. Someone to hold you and care for you and be there for you, and now you have a symbol of that love on its way. And all you're doing is complaining, when you have it so good." I had started crying in my rant, and when I was done I slid down the side of the counter I had been leaning on to the floor, curling my knees to my  
chest and just letting the tears have me.  
"Hey! Ang, Bella? I brought lun-," Ben had come in the front door, but stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the scene in front of him. I lifted my head from my knees, and wiped my hand under my nose and eyes,  
wiping away the snot and tears. I saw Angela sitting up in her chair now, her feet on the floor, looking open mouthed between me and her husband.  
"Um … yeah … I'm going to hang out outside for a few minutes and let you work this out between you … I'll be outside when you're done …," Ben set the two paper bags he had of food on the counter nearest the glass doors and backed out looking frightened by the scene in front of him. Once I heard the door shut behind him I stood up slowly using the counter as support.  
"Sorry. I'll be in the back," I mumbled and headed towards my office. I walked a few steps still wiping my eyes and nose with my hand.  
"Bella. Wait. I'm sorry. I know I have been acting so selfish lately. I'm sorry. I just. I don't know. I am lucky so so lucky," Angela ran a hand over her bulging stomach and glanced out the glass door to Ben who  
had his back to us. "I should have realized that this guy was important. I mean I heard what you said, but I guess I didn't listen. I'm sorry. I didn't think you would be that torn up about it. I mean you just saw him … but I guess it was something. And I'm sorry. I'm your best friend for pete's sake! I should know that you were hurt, and if and since I didn't I should have at least asked if you were ok. I'm sorry … and guess what! You even get to hear a famous corny line! There are other fish in the sea. You will find another guy that you fall in love with, and he will love you back, and be all yours."  
I chuckled at the overly used line I had heard over and over in movies and TV shows of teenage romance, "That's the problem Ang, is that I have never looked at or felt like this about any 'fish' the same way. But, thanks for apologizing and for understanding. I'm sorry I yelled at you."  
"Apology accepted," Angela held out her arms to me, and I stepped up and enveloped myself in them, and I wrapped my arms around her, as much as I could I mean.  
"BEN! YOU CAN COME IN NOW!" I shouted so he could hear me outside the glass door. He quickly turned around, pushed the door open, and came inside.  
"Cat fight over?"  
"Yep!" Angela said cheerily. Her and her mood swings …  
"Alright! Good! Well, I thought I would come and bring you guys lunch on my break, sooo … I brought some food from one of your guy's favorite restaurant Twilight café!"  
"Ooo! Goody! My favorite!" Angela ran -more like waddled quickly- over to her husband, kissing him quickly on the cheek. I sighed inwardly realizing that I don't have that, and just how lucky she was. Angela  
must have sensed my uneasiness and she waved at me to come over.  
"C'mon Bella! It's for you too!" Ben said smiling at me. I smiled and walked over. I did love that places food!

***

"Bye sweetheart! Thank you so much for lunch!" Angela gushed to her husband as he was heading out the door to go back to work.  
"Yeah thanks Ben," I added. I turned back around my heart scrunching as I saw them leaning in for a  
kiss. After all of this I just couldn't handle it.  
"Bye Ben," I heard Angela say quietly and then the door swing lightly shut. I heard Angela's waddling steps towards the counter I was leaning against.  
"Hey. So ... Yeah ... some good lunch huh?"  
"Yup. Really good. Make sure to thank Ben again for me later," I turned around making my face into a presentable look and my voice into a not sad one.  
"I will," Angela sighed, "Look. Bella. I know you have really become torn up about this guy. But, I hate to see you torn up like this. You need to try and get over him. You will find that guy that is right for you. I know you will. Just give it a little more time."  
"I know Ang. I know. But, I swear, I don't know him, but I think he was the one."  
"I know you think that now. But, you will get over him. You will see."  
"Sure, sure."  
"Just watch out for that other guy right for you, for me k?"  
"Fine. I will. But I'm not promising you anything. Look. I'll close up Ang. You go home. You have a husband to feed and some feet and back to rest."  
Angela tried to protest, but I raised my hand to stop her. "No. It's fine! Go go! It's no big deal!"  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah. I'm sure. Just go home. It's no big deal. I swear. Just Go!"  
"Alright! Alright! Thank you Bella!" she waddled around the counter, grabbed her purse, walked back around the counter, to the door, pushed it open, and walked out. And just as the door was closing a big gush of wind blew into the little store and blew all the receipts from the day all around the cash register on the floor. Groaning about how crappy my day was turning out I got down on my hands and knees to pick up the receipts. I saw one that had fluttered underneath the counter a little, but I was more intrigued with the leather lump sitting next to it. It was just under the edge of the counter. It was a wallet. A man's wallet. Hmm. I wonder. I steadied myself firmly on my left hand and reached out with my right to grab it. I pulled it out and then sat back on my heels. I opened it to look down on a fuzzy license picture of Edward Cullen. Well, my day just got a whole lot better. I continued to stand up dropping the receipts by the cash register and then walked to the back of the store to my chair. Collapsing in it and then just staring down at the wallet. I can't believe he dropped his wallet. It must have been while he had been scrambling to get it into his pocket to sign the receipt. Oh my god. This means that I will be able to see him again! Ooo! I should call him … I wonder if he has a business card in here. I look through the little pockets and flaps of platinum credit cards and membership cards all contained in the small wallet. There were some pictures in some clear inserts, there was a long strawberry blonde haired pretty girl first, must be his fiancé, the word rolled around in my head like rock, a dirty disgusting rock. The next picture was of a spiky raven haired girl, she looked short and pixie-like in the picture, wonder who that is. Next was a honey blond haired man, he was very beautiful like Edward, but not as beautiful as him. I flipped to the next insert, there was a honey-blond haired woman, her hair fell in waves to her mid-back, she looked like the man in the picture before, they definitely were related; she was breath-takingly beautiful, probably or should be a model. I saw a burly curly haired man next, he had a goofy grin and looked from the picture a childish man. I found a slightly older couple next, the man light blonde and very handsome, the woman heart-shaped face and beautiful; must be his parents. I turned to the last picture and it was of many people, I spotted Edward quickly and recognized the other people from the other pictures too; it must be a family picture. Everyone was smiling and the burly childish looking one was bent over from laughing. You could easily see who was with who, and the one I took as Edward's fiancé had her arm around him so I guess I predicted right. His family looked really close, looked like they were tight knit, and always had a good time together; they looked like, even from this picture that they would do anything for each other. They looked like an awesome family, that almost fiancée of Edward's is one lucky woman, getting to be with that wonderful looking family.

Finally I find his business card. It reads:  
_**Edward Cullen  
Professional Pianist. Available for any occasion or music  
Graduated from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York  
Cell: (###) ###-#### Home: (###) ###-####  
**_So he works as a professional pianist, he must be really good. But there is his numbers. I set the wallet down on Angela's seat with the card still in my hand. I walk over to the phone on the wall behind the cash register and slowly dial the number on the card. I hesitate before dialing the last number and take a few deep breaths.  
You can do this.  
No you can't.  
Yes you can!  
Nope can't do it.  
Just do it! It will be worth it!  
No no no I can't!  
YES. YOU. CAN!  
"I can do this," I mutter under my breath and quickly punch the last digit with my thumb.  
No! Wait! I can't do this!  
"Hello Edward Cullen what can I play for you?" I heard his velvet voice come out of the speaker.  
Shit shit shit! He answered! What should I say!  
"Hello…?"  
Answer you idiot!  
"H-h-h-h-h-hi,"I stuttered. Act professional you retard! "This is Bella from Forks Jewelry Store. I believe you dropped your wallet here."  
"Oh man!" I heard a smacking sound, he must've just checked his back pocket, "Shit! I did leave it there! Thank you so much for finding it!"  
"Oh, it was no problem! I'm just glad I did find it."  
"Aw man. I don't know what to say. Wow. Thanks. I just don't know what I would have done if I wouldn't have noticed till later."  
"It was no problem."  
"So I will have to come and pick it up. Um, I won't be going out until later … and I have so much to do here until then … um … How late are you open?"  
"Well that wouldn't be a problem. I could definitely hang around until you can come and pick it up. I take it you are proposing tonight then?"  
"Oh wow. That is so nice of you. But, I couldn't put you out like that. You must have a boyfriend to get home to … and yeah … I couldn't … and yes. I'm proposing tonight …"  
"Oh. Well that's no problem. I don't have anyone to get home for except the people from House and Grey's Anatomy," I forced laugh. "And congratulations."  
"Ah, no boyfriend? Surprising … thanks by the way."  
Surprising? Why? Ugh! So cryptic!

"Ok well, I will just hang around the shop, whenever you can make it over will be fine! Just not past eight. I have a date with House and then Grey's anatomy," Another forced laugh.  
He chuckled along with me. "No I wouldn't want to mess up your 'date'. I will be there around 6:30 if that's ok. It will be on the way to picking up my girlfriend."  
"That sounds great. And you can trust me, I won't take any money or credit cards from it. Ha-ha"  
"Great. 'Cuz I was really worried," he chuckled.  
I laughed along with him. "Ok. Well see you then!"  
"Mm-hm. Thanks again. Bye."  
I heard the line cut off.  
I stumbled back to my chair and collapsed into it. Another, now actually Lucky, Coincidence. He happened to not stuff the wallet in his pants good enough and I was positively going to see him again. But, it was going to be right before he got engaged. Why does there always have to be a bad side to things?

**A/N: So? What did you think? We haven't had many opinions on the first two chapters so we would LOVE to get a lot on this one!!! So please please please please please please please review!! PLEASE! IM ON MY KNEES! EDWARD IS DAZZLING YOU!!!! C'MON JUST REVIEW!!!! If you knew how excited we get when we get a review….you would understand why!!!!**


	4. Surprises

**A/N: Hey Lucky readers, this is actually youtwocanrideyourbikes. (the co-writer) posting this chapter, because Twilightlvrfreak's computer is being very stupid and she can't get on it to post (:**

**And don't worry about Back To Forks, it will be back soon! Twilightlvrfreak (Kelsey) just needs some time to catch up in her notebook, plus if you read her author's note on BTF, she said she's writing a series of one-shots, which I am going to beta so I get to see em before all of you! HA! Just kidding, I'm not mean like that, I'm actually really nice. You'll see them soon! Don't fret.**

**Also, this is quite a good chapter! This was my chapter to write but I'm not the best at description and Kelsey needed to add lots of stuff :\ It's my weakness, but we were half and half I'd say (: So we would like to present you with Lucky Coincidence Chapter 4! And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE review (:**

Lucky Coincidence – Chapter 4 – Surprises

BPOV

I sat down on the folding chair, sighing. I was going to see Edward again, I should be happy right? But I'm not. I am in love with someone who's about to be engaged. But knowing that does not stop me from lusting about him. He just won't disappear from my mind. It's wrong, I know, but he's just so gorgeous. I can't stop thinking about him; these thoughts had already lasted an hour. Plus my mind kept straying back to the strawberry-blonde haired girl, jealous that she found such a wonderful man. She pretty much has it made, I mean Edward is rich, he bought a really expensive ring and he has platinum credit cards. I'm sure he had a nice car too. I've seen a BMW M3 and a Mercedes driving around Forks and not a lot of people here have that much money. Maybe she was rich too, I couldn't judge, I knew nothing about her.

I finally moved from my chair and walked into my messy office, and decided to tidy it up some to take my mind off of some things. I walked over to my desk and started sorting through my papers on my desk and file them. I had finally finished my desk after an hour. And I was walking to my bookcase thinking of Edward when the tinkling laugh of a woman interrupted my ongoing thoughts and I glanced out the window to see where it came from. I noticed the woman was holding a man's hand and her head was on his shoulder and it definitely was not Edward. She looked a lot like the pictures in Edward's wallet. I got up from my chair and walked to the store window, squinting to see her better. I couldn't have been sure, the sun was out today; again another reason I should have been happy but wasn't, it was in just the wrong place in the sky so that it was blinding my vision and so I couldn't see her right. But, the hair looked right and from what I could see of her features it looked at least somewhat like her. Oh dear.

I looked away from the window to get my eyes out of the blinding light. Was she cheating on him? Maybe it was her brother, or a best friend. I couldn't jump to conclusions. I mean, who would cheat on some so wonderful as Edward Cullen? Although if she was, maybe I could have him. _Those aren't the right thoughts Bella, stop it. _

Eventually the couple had moved out of my sight and I moved half heartedly to my bookshelf. I was going to alphabetize my pleasure books, because I had nothing better to do. Now should I alphabetize them by title or author? I had decided to sort by title and I started on my yet another boring task.

It killed yet another boring hour. It was now 5:30 and I only had to burn one more hour. But now I was stuck for ideas. Y'know I had always seen that solitaire game on my computer … I guess I could try that … I never have played it before … but it can't be that hard. I got up from my desk chair that I had pushed up next to my bookshelf when I was about halfway done and was getting tired of standing. I rolled the chair back over to my computer and plopped down into it. I pressed the two power buttons, the one on the monitor and the one on the modem. I heard the fans starting to whir and the computer gadgetry humming to a start. The screen turned on and showed the Windows© logo. It finally came up with the log in screen and I clicked on my icon and typed in my password: singlegirl. Pathetic I know. And yet? It is still true even though I have experienced love at first sight. Finally my desktop screen came up and I found the solitaire icon and clicked on it. It showed me the rules and controls and I started playing. I lost my first game and started a new one. Dang, I lost again. I started another New Game and yes! I won! Oooo, those little fireworks are COOL! I clicked File, New Game, yet again and played another game, and another, and another, and another. Man this game is fun! I think I am addicted to this game! I can't stop playing it over and over and over again!

The squealing of tires made me glance up again, but now from my obsessive gaming of Solitaire. I sighed; unhappy that I had been disrupted from my gaming. I glanced at the little clock and noticed it was six. Well I should probably stop playing while I am now at a break. I shut off the monitor and walked out of my office. Seconds later, a silver Volvo streaked into the parking spot right in front of the doors.

A very good looking man in and suit that made him look even hotter stepped out and turned around to look at the store. It was Edward. All of a sudden, my face flushed and my hands got sweaty. I hastily wiped them on my pants, trying to calm myself down. I quickly plopped down into my folding chair, trying to seem casual and not like I was waiting on baited breath for him to come. _He's just like every other guy. Ok maybe he isn't like every other guy. But it's fine Bella._ I heard the jingling of the annoying bells as the door opened and Edward walked in and stopped at the ring counter, leaning on the case on his hip and his elbow, looking at me. I grabbed his wallet from Angela's chair and walked over to him, smiling.

"You're early. It's only six. You said around six thirty." I teased him.

"Around. That is the key word here. Around. Technically it is AROUND six thirty. It is in the same hour!" He smiled a crooked smile that made my breathing stutter. "Did you look in it?" he teased back gesturing to his wallet.

I laughed nervously. "No, that would be rude," I said.

"Then how did you find my number?" he asked. I froze in my step. "Ha-ha I'm just kidding!"

"Oh! Ha-ha, yeah," I smiled again, emitting a little nervous giggle. I walked around the counter and the few steps to him, he turned around and I handed him his wallet. Our fingers touched, and I again felt that little tingle run up my finger tips.

"Thanks for calling about this though," he held up the wallet and then safely stowed it in his pocket. "I can't imagine making Tanya pay for dinner. Especially at that restaurant."

"Tanya?" I asked.

"Oh sorry, that's my girlfriend's name," he smiled this time. So that is _the witch's_ sorry _her_ name.

"Ah, okay." This was kind of awkward.

"Yeah …," he trailed off and ran his hand through his hair.

"Um, well you should probably get going huh?" I asked, cursing myself. I made it sound like I wanted him to leave. "Got reservations for such a special night I am guessing, and you have to pick 'Tanya' up and all."

"Oh no, I don't have the reservations until seven, and I don't have to pick her up until six forty-five," he replied. I glanced at the clock, it was six ten now. "And I don't feel like going to my parent's house because I don't want to be teased by my brother Emmett."

"Why would he tease you?" I asked.

"Just because I'm finally proposing to Tanya. We've been dating for three years," he laughed. "Oh and I really don't want to be fussed over by my sisters Alice and Rosalie who would want me to change and my mom Esme who will try and do my hair all 'nice'." He used air quotes on the word nice.

"I take it your mom doesn't like your hair style?"

"You took it correctly. She thinks it's too messy."

"I think it looks great." Oh crap! Did I just let that leave my mouth? Crap!

He chuckled quietly, "Thank you. So as you can see I am not too keen on going home. The only ones that would be ok would be my other brother Jasper and my dad Carlisle."

"I'm just wondering but why do you call your parents by their first names?"

"Oh, I'm adopted. As with all of my brothers and sisters. Except my brothers and sisters are now all married to each other. Alice and Jasper, and Emmett and Rosalie. I know it sounds weird, but it is legal, and they have always loved each other."

"Ha-ha. No, it's not weird. I think it's sweet. To find love early in life. I haven't had any luck since high school … why would all of them be at your parent's house though? Are they as old as you? They must be to be married."

"Yeah, they are all my age. They don't live in the same house. My parents have built small home in the land surrounding theirs for them to live. We are a close family. I am the only one that has left this town and went away for college; I went to the college in Alaska. That is where I met Tanya. And now I have moved back here to Forks, but still away from home. I am living now in Forks Apartments."

"Oh, so do I! Oooooh … sorry for almost running into you this morning …," I grimaced. God, all of the luck.

"It was you?" His head fell back as he started to laugh hysterically.

"Yup … sorry …" So awkward.

"Ha-ha. Wow. You are prone for disaster huh? First in an almost car crash, and then, later in the day falling off a treadmill."

"Yeahhh … that's me!" I laughed nervously.

He glanced down at his watch still smirking. "Oh jeez! It's six twenty-five! I can't believe I took all of that time talking about myself!"

"Oh no! Don't worry about it. I have nothing to do, and I always like hearing about proposals and weddings, it's why I chose to work here at the jewelry store. And I don't have a big family at all so I like hearing about yours," I reassured him.

"Really? Well cool. So … tell me about yourself?" he asked me. He was asking me about myself? Wow.

"Um, like my name and stuff?" I asked and he nodded. "Okay, um my full name is Isabella Marie Swan but I only go by Bella, I used to live in Phoenix, Arizona with my mom but I moved up here to live with my dad so my mom could travel with her new husband Phil while I was in high school, I had a crash and burn relationship then and none since.

"I graduated from Washington State with a degree in business. I am the manager of this store. And my best friend Angela works here with me. I love to read, especially the classics. And I've never really gotten used to the cold and wet Forks, but I love it here," I finished.

He just stood there, taking everything in. Finally realizing I had stopped listing things off, he smiled again. "It sounds like you have a pretty interesting life!"

"Ah, well it's not really that interesting."

"I sounds like it. You sound pretty interesting yourself."

I looked up and I got lost in his beautiful green eyes, "T-t-thank you," I stuttered. I couldn't break my gaze. His eyes seemed to bore right into my soul and my knees seemed to be getting weak, I put a hand on the counter next to me to hold me up.

"And you have such a pretty name." He breathed, I could feel it blow across my face and I could smell his sweet breath. It smelled so good, and my mind seemed like it was melting away; along with time and space. He seemed to be leaning towards me now. His eyes still locked with mine. I felt like I was melting.

"I just don't know how to thank you, _Bella,_" he whispered.

"I-i-i-it was n-n-n-nothing; your thank you has been enough," I muttered, stuttering in my weakness .

"I just don't know." He continued to lean forward until our faces were a couple inches apart.

"Well, then whatever you think would pay for it will do." I murmured, except those bold words seemed to just slip from my lips without even coming from my head.

He leaned forward a little more, so he was an inch from my face, "Hm. I don't know." And then he closed the distance between our faces and our lips touched. We were both hesitant but slowly we became more comfortable as our lips melded together.

It was a sweet kiss, nothing too passionate. But, the feeling running through my whole body was wonderful. There was a tingling feeling running down my spine, arms, and legs, I could feel it all the way to my fingertips. I could smell his beautiful scent much better now and it filled my head making my knees go weak. I tried to hold myself up better with my arm on the counter, but it seemed like my arm was just as weak.

Slowly he pulled away and I felt my knees go weak. He seemed very flustered, and I couldn't blame him, he was going to be engaged tonight. "T-thanks for my wallet … maybe I'll see you around …" Then he turned around with a furrowed brow and shoulders hunched and walked out of the door.

"Yeah … maybe," I breathed as I walked over to the chair and sat down. My hands were shaking and my breathing was rough. _Why did he kiss me? He was getting engaged tonight! In less than an hour. Oh Edward._ There is no way he knows how much I had been wanting that kiss. But now it gave me even more reason to mope about everything. It was amazing how good that kiss was. And it seemed like he had enjoyed it too. Or else he would have pulled away sooner.

Wow, Tanya was one lucky girl. Why do I have such bad luck with men? It's horrible. The more I thought about him and Tanya, the more angry and sad I got. I was angry because he kissed me when he was supposed to be getting engaged and married and sad that he stopped kissing me; but I loved that he did kiss me, and the kiss was so good. It's a love/hate situation. I really don't think I can see him again, it will just be too hard to look at him and realize I could never have him for myself. But I want to see him again, just to look at him and long for him and imagine myself as Tanya.

I sat in my chair for over an hour, moping and being sad. I was miserable. I glanced at the clock, realizing it was time for House in half an hour and I should be getting home. I folded up my and Angela's chair and propped them up against the wall, and then switched the AC off, it was then that I realized this had all happened in one day. I also realized something else Edward Cullen was engaged and I had lost him.

**A/N: So what do you think of it? We are begging you to read and review. And promote it xD Just kidding. We wouldn't make people do that … but PLEASE?!?! Sorry it's just this isn't getting great response and we want to know what people think? Is it cause it's all human? Sorry xD Oh well, thanks to those who have reviewed and those who are going to. We'll give you a shout-out next time if you review … (: Also, isn't Edward just perfect? Well maybe not perfect … but he's awesome. OKAY I NEED TO STOP MY RAMBLING OR YOU'LL NEVER READ AGAIN. Just review please (:**


	5. Why Me

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Lucky Coincidence- Chapter 5- Why me

I felt a tear fall down my cheek as the realization hit me. I had officially lost Edward. He was going to get married. And there was no way he would go out with me … that would be cheating not just on a girlfriend, but his fiancé.

I picked up my big, cheap, non-designer purse, that I loved because I could hold any papers I wanted to bring home from work, and the book I was reading in it, a water bottle, and anything else I need. I started towards the door. I walked slowly in my depression and through my teary eyes. I pulled my purse open as I walked to the door and rummaged around until my hand came in contact with the keys for the store. I walked out the door and heard the more than annoying little bell. I pushed the door shut behind me, and pulled the right key out from the other 6 keys on the ring. I put the key in the slot, turned it, and pulled it out, then pulling on the door handle to make sure it was locked. It was.

I then walked, again slowly, to my trusty truck, pulling out the car key from my purse, and then put it in the slot for the key on the door. I turned it, to unlock it, and then pulled out the key. I pulled the door handle out and then pushed the door open. I stepped in, tossed my purse into the passenger seat, and pulled my door shut, slamming it, for that was the only way to be sure it was closed. I shoved my grief aside, not wanting to be distracted by it, and to not get in an accident and push my bad luck even farther. I looked both ways and then reversed out of my parking spot, and then drove to the exit. I turned out of the parking lot and drove home, to my small apartment.

I drove through the parking lot towards my parking spot and I noticed a silver Volvo with its lights still on inside sitting there. It must be Edward's, him and _Tanya_, shudder, must have come back after she said yes, to … well … I just can't think the word … but I think you know what I mean. I shuddered again. I moved on to get to my parking spot.

I pulled into my spot, and jammed the truck in park. I grabbed my purse and pushed the door open. I hopped out of my seat and walked, now quickly to the entrance of the building. I was anxious to get to my apartment and get into my pajamas, then crash on my couch and watch my favorite shows. Oh and I hope we have some ice cream, chocolate preferably.

I walked into my building and down the hall of the few ground floor apartments. Mine was the last in the hallway. I stopped in front of my door and pulled yet another key ring out of my purse, I picked the right key, and I stuck this one in the dead bolt and turned it hearing it click unlocked. I then continued to pull it out of the slot and then picked out the key for the doorknob. I shoved that one in the hole and turned it till the door knob turned. I grabbed the knob with my other hand to keep the doorknob open, and then shoved with my shoulder to open the door. I stepped into my now dark apartment and then pulled the key out of the door.

I again shoved the door shut with my shoulder and turned the two locks and slid the chain into its slot. I turned away from the door, and saw my small, dark, lonely apartment. And again the grief hit me. I broke out in tears now that I was home; I leant against the door, and slowly started to sink down to the floor. I tossed my purse aside, and curled my knees to my chest. I rested my head to my knees and started to sob, shaking with them. My damn luck. Why does it have to suck so horribly! The only man. I have looked at in ages. Is now getting married soon.

F my life. I should post my problem on that website fmylife . com. I can't believe I actually have a story to put on there. I never thought that _my _life could actually be that terrible like the others that posted on there. I think I will have to get an account on there and start posting.

I sat on the floor leaning against the door with the lights off for a while. Just sitting there, crying, wondering why I have such an unlucky life. I only got up when I heard the grandfather clock in the hallway strike eight, and then I ran to the TV like a mad man so I wouldn't miss House. I sat and watched the first segment, fighting to pay attention to it, until the commercial and then moved from my droopy perch on the couch.

I quickly walked to my bedroom, and to where my pajamas were lying on the floor where I left them. I picked up my gold and emerald green striped pajama bottoms. This made me sad; the green color on them was very close to the color of Edward's eyes. Damn. I am just really damned for hell. I took off my shoes and then slipped off my pants quickly; I grabbed my pajama pants and shoved my feet through them trying not to look at the green. I unbuttoned my shirt and put it in the hamper, and then I took off my bra and put it on my dresser. I picked the t-shirt I was using for sleeping in off the floor and pulled it over my head.

I quickly walked out of my room and then walked into the kitchen as fast as I could without tripping, House would be back on soon. I walked to the freezer and opened it up, seeing a carton of Rocky Road sitting in it. I grabbed the carton; it was cold against my hand, it made my shiver. I set it down on the counter shutting the freezer door and then opened the drawer next to it and grabbed a spoon. I picked up the ice cream and walked back into the TV room. I sat down, on my comfy couch and leaned back, crossing my legs in front of me. I pulled the lid off the ice cream and set it on the little table next to the couch. I started to dig in just as House came back from commercial.

Ice cream always helped me drown out my sorrows. Except this time, it didn't really help. I was deeply hurt, and even chocolate rocky road ice cream wouldn't help. Ice cream even helped when I had been hurt by Mike, so this must have been much worse. And it was. I wasn't a high schooler anymore. My emotions weren't as out of control, and so when they went this haywire I knew it was something. I was a college graduate. And I wanted to start to settle down. I was also a huge romantic, so this love at first sight really got me. And Edward was just so intriguing, and nice. And he was a pianist! Who would think that a man as beautiful, handsome… muscle toned, as him would be so old-fashioned and not the football jock stereotype. And he was just different then most guys, I could tell from the little I have talked to him and from what I saw in his pictures, he loved his family, they were the world to him, and most guys wouldn't think that. And he just seemed so passionate, and driven, and caring, and just perfect. And he was such a good kisser. That kiss…. Man…that was a good kiss. But I shouldn't think of it. He is getting married! I can't think of a married man like that! It's sick! Wrong! Nasty!

Then why can't I stop thinking about it. The feel of his lips on mine; they molded together perfectly. His lips were soft and gentle and kind. It was one great kiss.

NO! NO! NO! You are thinking about it again! Stop! Stop! Stop! You have to stop! I mentally slapped myself for thinking about it.

I brought my attention to House in front of me. What was happening? I hadn't been paying attention. Damn. I will have to ask Angela tomorrow. She is just obsessed as I usually am.

I waited until the next commercial and then I placed the ice cream, and my spoon on the table next to the couch, got up and walked into my bedroom and to my desk. I picked up my Dell laptop and unplugged the charger from it. I walked back out to the living room and sat back down on the couch. Setting my laptop on my legs, I opened it up and pressed the power button. I heard the little tune as it turned on and the screen lit up. I clicked on the internet explorer icon and my homepage popped up on the screen. It was my email website, AOL. I clicked the mail icon on the website and waited until my mail loaded. I had five new messages. Four of the messages were from fanfiction, notifying me of four of my favorite stories being updated, 'Back to Forks' and 'Lucky Coincidence' by Twilightlvrfreak; and 'Guilty Pleasure' and 'Emmett's Virtual World' by youtwocanrideyourbikes. I would normally have been very very excited about the new chapters on my favorite stories that were all _amazing; _but tonight in my inner turmoil I really wasn't that excited. The last message was spam.

Now that just shows how pathetic I am. All day I get five messages. Four from fanfiction and then one was garbage. I didn't get anything from my friends or family. Not even any forwards. That is just great. My life is so pathetic.

I clicked the tab button to get a new page. I clicked the URL box and typed in the website for fmylife. I looked through the tabs, until I found the 'submit your FML' one. I clicked on it. It asked me to make an account, so I did. I made my screen name be 'Patheticatlifegirl', it fits me perfectly. I entered in my email and then proceded to the box where it says submit you FML. It had to start with Today, and end with FML and including that it had to be 300 characters.

I thought of what I wanted to enter in first and starting typing.

_Today, I saw this insanely hot guy at the gym. As I was staring he ended up walking by me. And I was frozen. I ended up falling off the treadmill I was walking on right in front of him. I saw him laughing as he walked away. FML_

I pressed submit. It went back to the submit box. This was easy. I started typing again.

_Today, I almost creamed someone's Silver Volvo with my sturdy truck. I later found out this superly hot guy I fell for coincidently lives in my apartment complex and drives a silver Volvo. FML_

I pressed submit again. And again it went back to the submit box. And again I started typing.

_Today, I found out that the first man I have looked at in that way since I was in high school, who also is whom I have fallen for. Hard. Is getting engaged tonight. By the way I am 23 and out of college. FML._

I yet again pressed submit. And then continued to type.

_Today, This really hot guy I had really fallen for kissed me. It was the best kiss I had ever had. I then realized he had already told me he was getting engaged tonight. FML._

I clicked submit. I then typed one last FML.

_Today, I realized how pathetic my life is. I had five messages in my inbox, all from websites. I then posted four FMLs on how terrible my day has been. And I did this after eating ice cream out of the carton curled up on my couch. I did all of these things while watching House. FML_

I pressed submit one last time and then closed the tab. I sighed and then shut the computer, wanting to wallow more. And eat more ice cream.

I placed the computer next to me on the couch, and picked up the Rocky Road. I took a big spoon full and started to lick off of it. I tried to pay attention, but it deigned impossible. I just really couldn't keep my mind off Edward.

***

I followed my regular schedule for the next three days. It was all the same as Monday would have been if I hadn't met Edward, except I was switching to lifting weights every other day. I hadn't seen Edward since Monday; since the fated day. I wasn't sure if I was happy or sad about that. My heart was sad; aching to see him again. But my head knew it was a good thing; because I knew I couldn't keep shoving my feelings aside if I saw him. I hadn't yet succeeded in shoving him totally from my mind.

In the moments that I wasn't forcing myself to be busy, my mind would stray to that restricted section. Angela had asked about that the first day after I had met _him_. That is what I have decided to call him, calling him by his name seemed too personal and not helping my losing cause. Angela had questioned me about my evening, what I did, knowing I would have moped. I ended up telling her all about what happened the day before.

_***Flashback***_

"_So what did you do last night?" Angela asked me hesitantly, not wanting to bring up a taboo subject. _

"_Well last night I watched House and Greys Anatomy while eating Rocky Road out of the carton. But you are going to have to tell me what happened because I couldn't pay attention." There was no point lying to Angela. I was a terrible liar and she would be able to see right through them. _

"_Ok. I will tell you what happened in the show later. But, why were you so distracted so that you couldn't pay attention to your favorite shows?"_

"_You know perfectly well why I would be distracted. It was because of _**him**." _I said uncomfortably, but I could only whisper the next part. "Because of Edward. And because he kissed me." _

"_What?! You have kept that secret this whole time! What happened!? Start from the beginning."_

"_You have to understand it wasn't how you think it is… But it started when you left. The wind blew all the receipts onto the floor. And as I kneeled down to pick them all up I found his wallet on the floor in front of the register. I called him and told him I had his wallet. I found out that he was going to come to pick it up on his way to pick up _Tanya_ for their dinner at seven and his proposal. He came at six… We both talked for a little while about ourselves and then he said he didn't know how to thank me… And we both said a few things. I said some very off base things for myself. And then he kissed me… It wasn't a peck on the lips either. It was a lingering lips kiss, and oh Angela it was amazing. I felt like my lips were on fire. But he broke the kiss and then left to go pick up his now fiancé." I spat out the last part, I hated that word. _Fiance. _Yuck._

"_Wait he kissed you like that and then just left to get engaged to someone else?!"_

"_Yes …" _

"_Well. That ass."_

"_Yeah …"_

_***End of flashback*** _

Angela was nice about it. She didn't pry for more details like I knew she wouldn't. I stayed to myself for the next few days. I was still depressed. I didn't feel like talking. I let Angela take all the customers in the day, and just stayed holed up in my office. I would hang around the gym longer and longer every day, for my heart, that wanted to see him and was hoping he would come later. He never did.

I finally was just going to give up and just go back to living my normal life as best as I could. Thursday would be my last day of hope.

***

I got to the gym, and proceeded in my normal routine. It was a Thursday so I walked over to the weight station after locking up my backpack and purse. I sat down on one of the benches and picked up a ten pound weight. I started to do arm curls with my left arm. After a couple curls it started to hurt a little but that all helped me distract myself. I also stared at the pattern on the floor, just keeping my eyes trained on it. Keeping my mind from straying to _him _and how _he_ looked doing the same thing I was.

That was when I saw two expensive looking tennis shoes half covered with some grey sweat pants step up right in front of me. "I didn't think you were the type to lift." The heavenly and horribly familiar velvet voice filled my head, and my eyes snapped up to _him _to Edward, to his beautiful face, gorgeous eyes and tousled bronze hair. My eyes widened and my breath caught in my throat as my arm fell down limp next to me.

"OW! SHIT!" His face crumpled in pain as he pulled his right off the ground, hopping around on his left.

I looked down to the floor to see my weight on the ground. Where his foot had just been.

"Oh My God! I am _so _sorry!" I jumped up from the bench, "Here sit down."

I put my hand under his elbow for him to lean on a little. He sat down still not putting any weight on his foot. He kicked it out so his knee was straight out in front of him.

"Oh my gosh. Are you alright? I am so sooo sorry!"

He blew out a breath of air loudly, between clenched teeth; his voice was a little strained, "Yeah, it's just throbbing. A lot. How heavy was that weight?"

"Ten pounds."

"Damn. That's heavy for a girl. Nice. But that would explain why it hurt so bad."

"I'll go get you some ice. Just stay right here. I'm so sorry. Maybe try taking your shoe off. So the ice can help.

I ran over to the front desk, where the friendly receptionist was. She must have noticed the frenzied look on my face as she told the person on the phone to hold for a moment.

"I need some ice in a plastic bag! I just dropped a weight on a man's foot!"

"Oh jeez. Bella. Really?" She said setting the phone down on her desk and hurrying over to the little mini fridge and freezer. She grabbed the few ice trays out of it and then grabbed a large plastic bag from a little table next to it.

"Yes." She shook her head chuckling at my clumsiness. She popped the ice from the trays into the bag and handed it to me.

"Here ya go. Be more careful next time Bella." She chuckled.

I rushed back over to Edward's side, grabbing a towel on the way. He had taken off his shoe, and his sock, showing his bright red foot and toes.

"Here, I got some ice. You are going to want to put the towel down first though, or else the ice will be too cold. Trust me; I do these kinds of things all the time." I started to hand it to him, "Oh wait, it's best to have it crushed first." I moved to the empty side of the bench and started to bang the bag of ice on the bench.

He chuckled, a little brokenly.

"Maybe you should go to the doctor … that looks like it really hurts." I said as I crushed the ice.

"Nah, I'm fine. Really. Watch."

He pushed himself off the bench, to stand up. He was leaning on his left foot, as he pulled his right back, into a standing position. He started to lean onto his right. And his eyes squinted up, and he hissed through his clamped teeth, his lips pulling back in a grimace. And he fell back onto the bench next to me.

"Ok. Maybe I am not fine. But I am not going to the doctors." He said as I handed him the bag of now crushed ice, and the towel. He placed the towel over his foot, and then slowly and tenderly placed the bag of ice on his foot, hissing a little from the sudden coldness on his now hot from the pain foot.

"C'mon really. I probably really hurt your foot. Ten pounds falling on it, it's probably broken. I'll drive you to the emergency room, before I go to work."

"No no. I can't put you out like that. My foot, it's my fault. I stepped too close to the bad luck lady. I was sure to get sucked in. I can drive myself home."

"Oh no you are not. That foot is in no place to be driving. I will drive you. I did that to your foot. It's my fault, all my fault. And I am the manager of the jewelry store, I can get there anytime. Angela will be fine on her own for a while."

"No I can no-."

"No." I interrupted him. I may want to stay away from him. I probably should. But this is just common courtesy and I might as well play to my heart's desire at this point anyway. "I will drive you and that is final. Now c'mon I will help you limp to my car."

He sighed, "Fine." I stood up ready to help him up. He picked up the ice and towel off his foot. "Let me just put my sock on it first. He pulled his sock out of his shoe and tenderly and slowly pulled it on, grimacing from the pain of it. He then proceeded to pick up his shoe and the bag of ice and towel in his left hand. I held out my right hand to help pull him up and he put his hand in mine, and I felt my whole arm tingling. He heaved himself up from the bench.

"Here, put your arm over my shoulder." I pulled the arm I had been holding up, and ducked my head under it so his arm was over my shoulder. "And walk on you heel. That will help. And you are going to have to lean on me." He gave me an uneasy look, no doubt not wanting to lean on me, a girl, while he is a guy. I changed my voice to more demanding than soft, trying to put my point across that I was not going to accept no as an answer, "It's no problem. Really. You are to lean on me, keep most of your weight on your left foot, and only walk on the heel of your right."

"Ok. Fine." The pain in his right foot, and the tone in my voice must have overpowered his want to be gentlemanly.

We made our way slowly through the gym, Edward tossing the towel he had on his foot in the bin. The receptionist ran over to hold the door for us as we got to it. Edward limped badly, all the way to the car. I got all the way to my truck when I realized I didn't have my keys, for they were in my purse, in the locker, in the gym.

"Damn. I forgot about my purse and backpack in the gym. Are you ok to just lean on my truck for a minute while I go to get it?" I asked, my brow scrunching in worry for his pain.

"Yeah, I will just lean up against the truck, I will be fine, you go get your stuff. I don't have to put any weight on my foot while leaning. And I would like to call my father at the emergency room anyway, that way we can get in right away and be sure to get him."

"Ok. I will be right back!"

I helped him hop into his leaning position on my truck, and then I quickly jogged back into the gym. Thank god my clumsiness didn't choose now to kick in. I went right into the locker room, and straight to my locker. I quickly unlocked the locker – 20 48 12 –, grabbed my purse and my backpack, pulling the lock off the door, and dropped it into my backpack. I tightened the strings and quickly walked back to my truck outside, digging around and finding my keys in my purse.

I finally got to the truck, seeing Edward leaning against the side of my truck grinning crookedly. I grinned back a little.

"Hey, just let me unlock this door and I will help you into the seat. Okay?"

"That sounds great! I talked to Carlisle; he will be waiting for us at the emergency room."

"Ok good!" I finally got the passenger door open. I walked around it. I stopped in front of him like a soldier snapping my feet together. I held out my hand to help pull him into a standing position. He leant heavily on his left foot. I walked around to his side and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. We started our slow walk around the car door.

"Why thank you, kind lady." He imitated a southern accent, pretty badly, ok it was horrible. I cracked up laughing at his terrible accent. "What?!"

"Your … accent … was … TERRIBLE!" I gasped between laughs. "That was the worst southern accent I have ever heard!"

"What?! No!" He feigned his shock and surprise, but I could tell his resolve was dissolving and soon he joined in with the laughing with me, "Ok. So it was terrible. Really terrible."

"Yes, it was." And once I had gained enough composure I said, "Now, with my experience I would say that you should slide into the seat butt first then lift your legs into the car." I slid out from underneath his arm, letting the car door and frame support him. He hopped around on his one foot, turning himself around before sitting down, sliding back, and then swinging his legs in. I made sure his legs were fully in the truck before slamming his door shut on him. He smiled at me, and I grinned back. I quickly walked around to the driver's side, pulling my keys out once again, but before I could, Edward had leaned over and pulled up the lock. I yanked the door open, as he leaned back in place.

"Thanks."

"Least I could do for my ambulance driver."

I laughed, "Ambulance driver? More like the guilty of inflicting bodily harm."

He chuckled, "Nah. That's just your luck. Your terrible terrible luck. I was just in the path of it. You didn't mean it. And it's not like I'm pressing charges, so there is no need to title you other than a very nice Samaritan and friend."

I got out of my parking space and started out of the parking lot.

"Well thanks." Oh my gosh! He considered me as a FRIEND! Man, I got to drop weights on peoples feet more often! Wait! What am I thinking! You can't just go dropping weights on peoples feet! And oh. My. God. I DROPPED A FRICKEN WEIGHT ON _EDWARD CULLEN'S_ FOOT! DAMN!" Why me!

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	6. Perplexed

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Lucky Coincidence – Chapter 6 – Perplexed

As I drove, I panicked. Sure, Edward assured me every so often that he was perfectly fine and it wasn't a big deal. But I couldn't help but freak out that I almost maimed the perfect and utterly gorgeous Edward Cullen.

"Seriously. I am so sorry!" I whimpered.

"Bella! Calm down, it'll be fine." Edward grinned at me.

"But what if you press charges?" I asked. Wait, did I seriously just ask that?

Edward chuckled loudly. "What would the charge be, I may need some help."

"Um … dropping a weight on your foot, hurting you?"

"Then I should sue the gym for letting you in, shouldn't I?" he peered over at me and I gasped, audibly.

"Oh Bella, I was just kidding!"

"Ha ha, I knew that …" I winced. Awkward. For the rest of the car ride, we were both silent. I was silent because I was fuming about dropping the weight. He was just too damn beautiful! And he wasn't talking probably just because he didn't risk saying anything else about the weight. I was still visibly freaking out because my hands gripped the steering wheel; they were almost white and I was breathing hard. Never once had I felt like this about a man, but I internally scolded myself. _He's engaged Bella! He's taken; you must stop thinking of him._ Then before I could stop myself, I spoke, "So how's Tanya?" I silently cursed myself.

"Oh, uh, she's great." That's it? She's great? What did the bitch – I mean Tanya – do now? Interesting …

I slowly pulled into the hospital parking lot and parked, pulling my hands off the steering wheel, wringing them and cracking my knuckles. I saw Edward wince and I stopped. Not a lot of people liked the cracking of the knuckles. "Sorry," I whispered. He nodded, understanding. I then realized he needed help. I jumped out of the truck and ran over to other side, only after I managed to trip. Me and my clumsy self. I yanked open the door and helped Edward out, smiling weakly. He grinned back and I melted inside, his smile was so amazing. I helped him into the hospital and walked up to the young women at the desk, supporting Edward.

"Hi … uh 'scuse me?" I said to the nurse, who just ignored me. I started to speak again when Edward rapped his knuckles on the counter. The women looked up startled and then smiled warmly when she looked at Edward. _Ugh, so many girls just stare at him, it's so annoying._ Then she looked at me and raised her eyebrows.

"Hey, can we just go up?" Edward asked.

"Sure, Mr. Cullen." The nurse smiled again. _Mr. Cullen? She knew him?_

"Come on Bella," Edward smiled at me again and I sighed. We caught an elevator just as it was about to close and stood there in silence. When we got off at the second floor, Edward pointed me to the right and he stopped us in front of a door.

"Why aren't you going to the emergency room?" I asked.

"No need?"

"No need, why?" Now I was confused.

"Just follow me Bella." I obliged, not wanting to make him pissed or anything.

"Hey Mandy, is he here?" Edward asked the women at the desk and she nodded, smiling at both of us. _At least she's nice._ I thought to myself. Wait, who's "he"? Edward walked over to a large, wooden door and knocked loudly. I heard a "come in" and Edward pushed the door open.

"Edward?" A male's voice asked, concern laced in with warmth.

"Hey dad," Edward chuckled. _Dad?! Oh … right … he's a Cullen. I had already figured he was Edward's father. _

"What happened Edward?" The man asked. I peeked around Edward and finally saw what the man looked like. He looked a lot like Edward with the pale skin and he was thin, but his hair was blond and he seemed just a bit older than Edward.

"Oh just a little incident at the gym, no biggie, my foot just kills." Edward smiled at me and winked. "Oh Bella, I'm sorry, this is my father Carlisle Cullen."

I smiled at Carlisle and said a small hello. Carlisle nodded back, giving me a warm smile.

"I was wondering if you could fix me up dad."

"Sure, that's what I'm here for," Carlisle laughed. "Come here." Edward let go of me and hopped over to one of the chairs in front of the desk that Carlisle was sitting behind. "You can sit if you'd like Bella."

"Thanks," I said as I walked over to the chair. I sat quietly as Carlisle looked over Edward's foot, that was perched on the desk. Carlisle pulled him out of the room for a minute, coming back and declaring it was fractured. I listened to his jokes about Edward's foot, he was trying to find out what exactly happened but Edward wouldn't bite. It made me feel kind of good that Edward wasn't going to totally rat me out and embarrass me in front of his father.

"Well Edward, that's all I can do for you now, it's fractured so you just have to stay off of it for about a week. I will come by your place later tonight once I am off work and give you this boot to put on it to keep it stable, and a pair of crutches for you to walk with, just like I did when you were a kid." Carlisle's laugh boomed through the room and I couldn't help but smile, Carlisle seemed like a good husband and father, he must have raised Edward to be the same. "Oh and would you mind driving him home? He shouldn't be driving with his foot…"

"Dad-" Edward started to chide his father for blatantly asking me a big favor like that.

"No Edward, it's fine! Of course I could drive him, it would be no problem."

Edward, I will call Emmett or Jasper, and get one of them to drop by the gym and drive home your car for you."

"Thanks dad.

'Nice to meet you Bella!"

"You too, it's nice to meet you too Dr. Cullen." I smiled

"Oh, please, call me Carlisle. It makes me feel a lot less old."

"Ok. Will do. Carlisle." I helped Edward up out of the chair.

"See ya later tonight Dad!" Edward called back to his father over his shoulder as we walked out of the room and past Mandy who smiled at us again and waved at me. I smiled back, happy that she was nice. We walked back to the elevator and I was surprised to see we were the only ones in it.

"So Bella. What are you doing around this time next week?" Edward asked me.

_Was he asking me out? But he's engaged … oh maybe it's just as like friends or something! _"Um. I don't have anything going on. Why?"

"Oh, I just wanted to invite you to have some coffee with me. After all you've done, I feel it's appropriate." Edward said simply.

"Um, ok. After all I did? What, fracture your foot? Make you walk with crutches for a week? Oh and just drive you to the hospital to make up for all of that. Really, I'm sorry about what I did, and I should be the one taking you out to coffee. I mean I dropped a weight on your foot!"

He put a finger to my lips to make me stop rambling. "No, you drove me, and stayed, and driving me back home. Please just let me take you to get some coffee. That's it. Please? I insist." He smiled that dazzling crooked smile at me and my resolve melted.

"Ok. Fine. I will come. Thank you for inviting me."

"Great, I'll pick you up next week, on Wednesday during your lunch break, is that alright?" He asked me.

"That's fine! My lunch break is whenever you can come, since I am the manager and we really don't get that many customers I can get off at anytime." I said, smiling as we walked and hobbled out of the hospital now, heading for the car.

"Alright, well my job is lenient also, so how about noon?"

"Sounds good to me!"

"Then it's a date!"

Did he mean that? Like a date date? Or is he just repeating the old saying 'it's a date'. And well 'getting coffee' is like the well known first date kind of thing. But, he's engaged, so it must have just said the saying without the actual meaning.

I helped Edward in then walked to my side, getting in and starting the truck. We were perfectly silent the whole ride, a kindergarten teacher would have loved us.

I offered to give him a ride home, only to remember his Volvo was still at the gym so I just smiled and drove to the gym. I dropped him off at his car and he spoke to me again,

"So I'll see you later!"

"Yeah, bye," I smiled widely. I was so happy right now. But what about Tanya? Won't she be mad that he's going out with me? Eh, whatever!

When I got home later, it finally sunk in. I was technically going on a date with Edward Cullen. Even if it's just as friends, it's still _a date. _Even though I dropped a weight on his foot! I must have some good luck at times. I mean most guys would freak out and then back away slowly, claiming that they were fine but Edward was different I guess.

My thoughts were in a jumble as I drove home. I was very excited for next Wednesday and then I was also nervous. The one thing I hoped for was that I didn't trip and spill my coffee all over him. That would be totally embarrassing. For once, I was actually going on a date with a guy instead of just hanging out and not talking. _Now Bella. This isn't a date, its just coffee with a friend!_ I scolded my self. But I couldn't keep my self from thinking this was a date. When I got home, I went to my closet and tried to find something to wear. _Oh Bella! You silly, there is no need to choose now! You have a week!_ But I went against my thoughts and pulled out a pair of shorts that I thought were very flattering and a black, sparkly shirt that was also quite flattering. It wasn't entirely coffee date material, but it would work. Then I thought of shoes. My eyes focused on the four-inch black, Prada heels that my mother insisted on my buying a couple years ago. They would be perfect!

Oh, why couldn't Wednesday come any sooner? I thought on Friday morning. I wanted to see Edward so badly. The last couple days he had not been to the gym, but that was expected. I could just imagine Tanya tending to him, making sure he's okay and giving him small kisses to make him feel better. I cringed and pulled my thoughts away from that subject to focus on the customer at the jewelry store.

"May I help you ma'am?" I asked the women.

"Yes, I'd like to buy a promise ring for my daughter." The women said and I tried to keep myself from snorting. Who wore promise rings anymore? Those Jonas Brothers people started it all and then my boss' daughter wanted one and he decided just to have a whole case full of the things.

"Oh yes, we have those right over here," I motioned to the clear case over on the right of the store.

"Thank you." The women smiled and I nodded at her as I walked back over to my chair. Angela was off of work because she was on bed rest. That damn baby, why wouldn't it just come yet? I just had so much to tell her but Ben was so paranoid that he wasn't letting anyone call or come over to visit Angela. But, I hadn't been able to tell her anything, because she had had her doctor's appointment that day and it had been at a time soon after I got to the store from dropping Edward off at his apartment. She had just rushed out as fast as she could, and then when I called her later to tell her, Ben had answered and told me that she was put on bed rest and she couldn't have visitors or phone calls. I had heard Angela screaming at him in the background, trying to get him to hand her the phone, but he refused and hung up on me when I pushed him to just do what she wanted. I was pretty sure that she was going crazy because of Ben, but he loved her and she was lucky so I was hoping she just put up with it.

I sat down on my chair and thought of Wednesday. It was Friday today and I seriously couldn't wait much longer, I was just too excited.

The weekend dragged by, I had had no plans, so I ended up just sitting on my couch in my pajamas for most of the days. I just watched TV, and searched the web. I checked my favorite twilight website hisgoldeneyes . com, looking for any new news on the new twilight movie coming out.

I was excited for Monday to come for the first time in my life, and it was all in anticipation for Wednesday. When I got to my treadmill and started to jog on it, watching my feet until I got into a regular rhythm.

I looked up and routinely- since Thursday morning- looked around the gym to see if Edward was here. I saw a glimpse of bronze hair behind someone walking by, over by the weights, I craned my neck around, as to see him sooner as the other man walked away. Our eyes met, and he smiled crookedly at me, as a tentative, and becoming goofy grin spread across my face. I looked away from his eyes, a blush flooding to my cheeks.

My eyes found his foot on the floor, his leg straightened out in front of him, it was strapped in a big plastic and cloth boot, I had used this type of walking cast a couple times in my clumsy life. I also noticed a pair of crutches underneath the bench, surely his, and stored there for the time being, as he lifted weights. Which it was the only thing he could do with his injured foot. My eyes wandered back up to his eyes, and I noticed he was still looking at me, I blushed yet again, and looked down to my iPod. I put in the other ear bud, and turned up the music, trying to drown out any nasty thoughts about Edward.

"So are we still on for this Wednesday?" A velvety voice said, breaking through my musical peace. I jumped really badly at the surprising voice.

"Y-y-y-yeah! Of course! Wouldn't miss it!" I said, once my breathing had gone back to normal from my scare, and Edward had stopped laughing hysterically over scaring me.

"Alright! Good! Well I will see you then!"

"Wait! What about tomorrow? Won't you be here?" I asked eagerly, dearly hoping to see him as much as possible despite my thoughts in my head.

"Probably, but we won't talk. We need to get to know each other better on our coffee _date._" He said cryptically, and was it just me or did he accentuate the date part? _Is_ this something more than I have been assuming?

The next day at the gym Edward was there, but he didn't talk to me, just as he said, he only smiled at me when I looked up from my treadmill. I had given up on the weights thing after that last incident with them.

Both days of this new week, I had gone to work all tingly, and happy inside. I would find myself smiling for no reason, and I would get the feeling of just wanting to belt out a song like in a musical, standing on the counters and the whole jig. Edward had an effect on me, and I don't know how this one man could do this to me with a few simple smiles while at the gym.

It's Wednesday! _Finally_! I have less than two hours until Edward is supposed to be here to pick me up but I'm all ready. I was very lucky because it was pretty sunny in Forks, so the shorts that I chose were perfect. I had taken a shower this morning and I let my hair dry naturally before curling it just a little bit. I had pinned my bangs back and sprayed a little perfume on my neck, and smiled at myself in the mirror. I sat anxiously in my desk chair, turning on the computer, watching youtube, looking at a magazine, reading a book but nothing could keep my mind off of the clock. The time seemed to take forever. When it read 11:30 I swear I almost hyperventilated, but then I quickly calmed down, not wanting to faint and miss my date, no my _coffee date as __**friends**_.

As soon as the clock read noon, I stood up and walked over to my window, staring out to the street, waiting to see his Volvo. At exactly 12:03, his car drove up and squealed excitedly. I moved away from the window and sat in my desk chair, waiting for the bells on the door to ring to get up, as to not seem to excited. As soon as it did I walked over out of the door, smoothing my shirt before I turned the corner to the store. I saw his eyes widen just a bit when he saw me.

"You look beautiful Bella!"

I blushed a deep crimson as I muttered out a simple thank you.

"Ready?" He asked as he held out his arm. I nodded and shrugged on my light jacket and grabbed my purse from its position leaning on my chair, before linking my arm through his. It felt so … _natural_. He helped me into his car and shut the door behind me before walking over to his side.

I didn't bother to ask where we were going; I pretty much assumed the local coffee shop. I was correct when he drove into the parking lot and got out to open my door for me.

"Thanks Edward." I spoke and he nodded at me, smiling. We walked into the coffee shop and seated ourselves. Edward pulled out the chair for me and I swooned even more. He was such a gentleman!

"So Bella, how have you been?" He asked as the waitress came over to take our order. He chose just a decaf coffee while I went for a latte.

"I've been great! And you?"

"I've been alright …" He trailed off and I felt like something was wrong. I didn't feel like asking though so we both became quiet.

"How's your foot?" I asked awkwardly, breaking the awkward silence that was so bad I swear to god a gay baby must have been born.

"It's better. Carlisle let me off the crutches and out of the damned boot last night after a check up on it. He x-rayed it and said that everything was healed, and just not to walk for a long time, or run on it for more than a short burst."

"That's good! I still feel so bad about that!"

"Ah, don't. You didn't mean it! It's _ok, _I _swear!" _He chuckled, reassuring me, using hand motions to me to emphasize it,"So…how's the store?" He asked.

"Pretty good! I guess …thanks for asking," I looked up and smiled at him.

"And Angela?"

"Oh I think she's good," I looked up at his confused expression.

"You think?"

"Well she's been on bed rest right now so she isn't working and her husband Ben won't let anyone call her or come visit her. He's worrisome." I explained.

"Ah, I see." Edward chuckled.

For the rest of the time we spoke about just random things that were barely important so it was kind of awkward until he brought up a touchy subject.

"So Bella, have you ever thought you were in love with someone but they truly didn't love you back?" Edward asked.

I gasped. "Yeah. As a matter of fact I have. Why?"

"No reason. I was just wondering. You seem like a girl who could have any guy she wanted." He grinned and I laughed out loud. _Not every guy._

"Ahhh … not every guy. That is not me, trust me."

"Really? Hmm."

"Yup. Really." We kept talking more and slowly got away from the love topic. That wasn't something I really liked discussing. We talked comfortably for a long time, just random things. I ended up telling him about some things I had never really told anyone else, I just felt so comfortable with him. We talked about funny things, and ne point ended up laughing for a few minutes, until our sides hurt and we couldn't breathe when Edward told me this horrible joke that was so horrible it was hilarious.

We had finished our coffee and muffins as Edward ordered a little later for us. As Edward looked at the time to see that it was almost three; we decided it was time to leave. We got back in his car and drove back to the jewelry store, laughing and going on about things. I heard a good song come on and I turned it up.

"What song is this?" Edward asked loudly, having to raise his voice over the now really loud music.

"You don't know this song?!" My eyes bugged.

"Nope. Sorry!" Edward chuckled loudly.

"It's _867-5309_! By Tommy Tutone! You don't know this song?!" Everyone knew this song! I belted out the lyrics, getting quite a laugh from Edward.

_Jenny, Jenny _

_Who can I turn to _

_You give me something _

_I can hold on to _

_I know you'll think _

_I'm like the others before _

_Who saw your name and number _

_On the wall  _

_Jenny, I've got your number _

_I need to make you mine _

_Jenny, don't change your number _

_867-5309 _

_(867-5309) _

_867-5309 _

_(867-5309) _

"I'm sorry Tommy, but I don't know this song." Edward was almost crying now from laughing so hard.

"Crazy. Wait if I'm Tommy then you're Jenny! Ha ha!" I continued singing the song as Edward pulled into the parking lot and I didn't get out until the song ended.

"You have a great singing voice," Edward said, trying not to laugh.

"Thank you!" I smiled.

"Well Bella, I had a good time, thanks for coming."

"I did too."

"We should do this again sometime."

"Yeah, we should!"

"What about same time next week? But this time I think we should just leave together from the gym. It would save a lot of time. And not many people come in that early to buy jewelry anyway right?"

"Yeah! Sure! That would be great! I would love to; I had a really great time today! And just leaving from the gym would be fine! We rarely get anyone in the store that early… so that wouldn't be a problem."

"Alright, awesome! Well I guess I will see you tomorrow at the gym."

"Okay, yeah, well, uh, see you later Edward." As I turned to open the car door, Edward's hand grasped my arm and turned me around. I saw him lean forward and he kissed my cheek, ever so softly.

"See you around Bella."

I jumped out of the car, cheeks burning. The second time in just over a week! He's engaged, how can he do that? Or is he? No. Tanya wouldn't be that stupid as to not say yes to Edward.

I unlocked the store door, and turned around for one last wave to Edward, I smiled my way into the store. Sitting, no more like collapsing happily into my desk chair in my office, the chair spinning a little with my fall. I smiled happily, thinking of my great afternoon. I pushed my chair away from the desk, and kicked the ground making it turn around quickly. I kicked it again, and again, and again until I was spinning very fast, laughing and giggling manically.

"Ahem."

"AGH!" I screamed at the sudden noise of a person coming from the door way of my office. I kicked the ground too hard, from the fright and the chair tipped right over.

I landed, thank god, on the back of the chair. "Oomph! Ow."

I heard snickering from the doorway, and my head snapped around to see who was there.

"Sorry for scaring you." Said the velvety voice mixed with chuckling, from the godly perfect face, of Edward.

"Aw, shit." I mumbled. "Why is it that I am always making a fool of myself in front of you?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's just a lucky coincidence for me, to see you in your most unfortunate but cute moments? Like now. That looked really fun, and your face just showed how much fun you had, until you fell." He said as he grabbed my hand- making my whole arm tingle- and pulled me up from the floor.

"Thanks for helping me up. And thank… You…?" Well that was weird… was he flirting with me?

"Anyway, you forgot your jacket in my car… And I just wanted to return it to you." He handed me my jacket, that I hadn't noticed until he mentioned it.

"Oh. Thank you."

"No problem! Well, I will leave you to your chair spinning." He chuckled, "I'll see you tomorrow at the gym."

"Yeah. See you." I said as he turned around and walked back to the door.

"Bye!" He yelled back at me once more before I heard the bells meaning the door was opening.

I waited until I heard the door shut and then collapsed again into my desk chair, except now it wasn't because I was happy, but that I was mortified.

I spun the chair to face the desk, and screamed as loud as I could for a full minute. "Agh!" I screamed one last time. I slumped forward until my head hit the desk. "Ugh Ugh Ugh!" I muttered loudly, as I banged my head over and over on the desk. Sure was a very _lucky _coincidence indeed, I thought sarcastically.

_You know it was very nice of him to bring you back your jacket now…_ Ugh! Stop you evil backstabbing thoughts! I can't think of an engaged man like that! _But what engaged man flirts like that? And what engaged man would kiss your cheek, and say he had a "good time", after taking you to a coffee date, that lasted three hours, and he said you should do it again sometime. Oh yeah, and didn't you hear him say you were cute like two seconds ago? _Stupid, awful, devil, and totally right thoughts, GET OUT! Ok? I know you are right and that is why I am not thinking those thoughts! He is _engaged! _I can't like, or love him! It's wrong! But still why would he do all those things? It's just so perplexing.

**A/N: SO? What did you think? Did you like it!?!?! Please let us know by clicking that green button and typing a big ol' paragraph to tell us what you liked and didn't like. EVEN A SMALL PARAGRAPH! Or message. We would love to hear what you thought about youtwocanrideyourbikes chapter! **

**By the way, I have the next chapter, and It may take a little while to get out because I have my other story to type for, which I will be starting ASAP for those of you who read Back to Forks. And then school starts on Sept 8****th****. So then I will be busy and tired from school starting. But I do hope to get this story another chapter as soon as I possibly can! **

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	7. Unexpected

**Hey guys!!! I am SOOOOOOO TERRIBLY sorry for taking SOOO long to update. It has been horrible of me to take so long. I feel soooo bad!!!! But, real life has just come and bit me in the ass for the past few months. I am a freshman this year, and since the beginning of the year in September I am just tired all the time, and I just haven't been up to writing. And then I suddenly got obsessed with Facebook, and Farmville on there, which I bet a lot of you can relate too! Ha-ha. And then I was having some writers block when I finally did start this, and only got like 2 paragraphs done like a month ago, and then I got a crappy idea for a story idea, because I had gone through some overwhelming kind of stuff, with my now first boyfriend when he told me he liked me and stuff and it got me distracted and so I started to write something with that. I don't think it has started that well…. But we will see I will go through and fix it maybe and so watch for that… There is also a new story I was having a LOT of fun writing a couple weeks back and I got some of the first chapter done, and I really like it…. So watch for that… it will definitely be a good read! So when I finally did start writing it the Saturday after thanksgiving and slowly I just made up this wonderful plan for this chapter! And VOILA! Awesome 6 ½ – 7 page chapter!!! :D **

**Thank you to those of you who reviewed!!! Elizabeth142, crystal the optimist, wowgal, kroberts, twilightfreaklover!!!!! YOU GUYS ARE ALL AWESOME!!!!!**

**Well I will shut up so you guys can read this chapter finally!!! I really hope you like it and haven't given up on us…. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!! We hope to get past 40 reviews on this chapter!! So please help us meet or even surpass that goal!! We would love to see what you guys can do!**

**WE DO NOT OWN ANYTHING RECOGNIZABLE AS STEPHENIE MEYERS! We are just playing around with the characters!!!!!!!**

Lucky Coincidence - Chapter 7 – Unexpected

The next few days flew by fast. I consumed myself in my work trying to keep my mind off of all the cryptic messages I had got from Edward. It was all just so confusing. I mean he is happily engaged to someone! And I mean sure he said I was cute, and said that he had a great time at our coffee _social_, that is what I called it now to get the date part out of my head, and he had said he wanted to have coffee together again. And the way he always smiled at me when he saw me at the gym the past couple of days. Everything was just pointing in different directions. To say I am confused as to what to think is an understatement. I am so confused about everything I don't even know what to do!

The Thursday and Friday after we had met for coffee Edward smiled at me nicely from across the gym where the weights are. He waved when I first saw him, but whenever our eyes would meet he would smile that so-adorable-it-was-heart-breaking crooked smile that made me weak in the knees. It would make me blush and I would turn away smiling bashfully looking down at my iPod. I would catch him watching me, as I would look up to look at him. He would just smirk at me a smile that was close to his crooked ones and my heart would still flutter. I would look away blushing again with a small smile. I couldn't help but get a little excited that he was watching me, even though it was so wrong. But I couldn't help my feelings, and he just made me feel good. I feel like a little high school girl again, not caring that the guy I liked was single or not and became just giddy at the littlest acknowledgement from him.

I missed going to the gym on Saturday and Sunday, but I knew he probably wouldn't be there on the weekend, and I really didn't want to have to go to the gym, but I really did want to see him. On Sunday I had to go grocery shopping for the week. I hopped in my truck and drove the mile to the small local store. I parked in the back corner, wanting to get the exercise. I walked quickly across the parking lot, it wasn't that big of a parking lot seeing as it was a smaller store in a small town. The automatic doors slid open and I walked through turning to grab a cart. I saw a silver Volvo screech into the parking lot squealing to a stop in a spot, parking perfectly without having to fidget the car around. My mind wondered briefly if it was Edward. But I pushed the thought away not wanting to get myself excited, and knowing that it probably wasn't him. I was being silly.

I pushed the obnoxiously squeaking cart into the store and looked around. I never made a list, just getting whatever I knew I would eat over the next week. I started in the produce section; I grabbed cartons of strawberries and blueberries, a bunch of bananas, and a bag of apples. I grabbed a whole pineapple also, seeing that it was on sale and knowing how much I love pineapple but they are a little too expensive and take a little too long to get ready to eat. But I would treat myself. I moved onto the vegetables, grabbing a bag of onions, a carton of mushrooms, some stalks of asparagus, a couple heads of broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, a couple green peppers, and a head of lettuce. I placed in a bunch of fresh herbs too, barley, thyme, etc. I really only liked to use the fresh stuff. I moved on into the meat department, grabbing a package of ground turkey and a couple rolls of ground turkey to put in the freezer, I took a couple packages of chicken and tossed them in the cart also. I went to the deli meats and asked the girl behind the glass counter for a pound of some smoked turkey. I then went into the dairy department and grabbed a carton of eggs, a block of cheddar cheese, two gallons of milk, and an orange juice. I then moved onto the aisles, I usually got at least something from each aisle so I go up and down each one picking out what I will need. I grabbed some pasta and some spaghetti and alfredo sauces, some ketchup and mustard. I threw some cereals, frosted mini-wheat, and lucky charms feeling like spoiling myself into the basket. I grabbed a box of Ritz crackers for cheese and crackers, and just to eat plain because they were good both ways. I picked out a yummy sounding flavor of pop tarts, and a few boxes of Fiber One granola bars in chocolate because I was obsessed with them, and a bag of pretzel nubs. I grabbed a bunch of other random stuff, health drinks, a big package of water bottles, propel, and one box of cherry coke, my favorite. I got some peanut butter, and jelly for sandwiches.

I eventually got the bread aisle, where a lot of things then changed for me, even though I would never know it. I walked down the long aisle staring at all the breads, reading the labels, trying to find something healthy and cheap, one of those breads with lots of fiber, with whole grain and all that jazz. I was putting all of my attention towards the breads, not paying any attention as to where I was going when my basket crashed into someone else's.

"Shit!" I said as my hips bashed into the push bar of my cart, and the metal on both made a loud crash and rattled together. "I am so sorry." I held onto my head from the loud noise still looking away feeling very embarrassed.

"It's alright. No harm done." Said a velvety voice I instantly recognized and my head snapped up in recognition. So it _was_ him in the Volvo.

"Oh Jesus. Do I always make a fool of myself in front of you?" I sighed exasperated.

Edward just smirked, "No harm done. I just never thought someone could have so much attention on bread."

I blushed looking down. "Yeah well when you are looking for just the right bread that is cheap enough but yet has fiber, whole grain, wheat, and seeds, you need to have complete concentration." I chuckled lightly.

"Ah yes, the infinite search for the perfect loaf of bread." He smiled at me chuckling along with me.

"Yep, definitely the hardest exploration I will ever have to make." I turned over to the breads and finally saw the just right bread right in front of Edward. I pulled my basket back and away from his, and slipped between the two reaching over and grabbed the loaf. "My search is finally complete for this trip to the grocery store. "

"Phew. That was so hard." He said mockingly serious, wiping his brow with a smirk.

"And now it is for the hard search to pick out hamburger buns; sesame seed, plain, or onion? White whole grain or wheat?" I teased walking over to the buns and gesturing with my hands and holding the up as I listed off all of the different kinds.

"Hmm. Well, I personally like," He said walking over closer to me, standing right next to me, our arms practically touching as he reached out and grabbed the whole grain with sesame seeds, "This one. It is classic with the seeds, but yet modern with the healthiness of the whole wheat. They may not taste just as good as the white or wheat ones, but they are healthy and taste good enough they work fine."

"I totally agree." I said as I grabbed the package of hamburger buns from his hand, our fingers brushing a little, and tingles ran up my arm. I tossed it into my cart, smiling. I turned back to look at him and got caught in his gaze, our eyes locking. I couldn't look away, his eyes were such a beautiful emerald green and they were swirling with emotion but I couldn't quite understand what he was feeling, I saw a sort of awe, and a look of deep thought, confusion and something else I couldn't point. It confused me even more than I already was about him, but I still couldn't look away, just locked in his intense gaze. We just stared into each other's eyes for a long moment until he looked away shaking his head a little almost as if trying to rid himself of a thought, a thought of what is what I was curious about.

He finally spotted my almost full basket, and smiled, "Throwing a party or something with all that food?"

"No. I only go grocery shopping once a week, so this is my supply."

"But you have such a variety of things. From the multitude of fruits and veggies I see, and all the health stuff I would think you are a health nut. But then I see the pop tarts, and crackers, and peanut butter and it puts me off course."

"Ah, but there is the thing! I am not a health nut, but I do eat healthy. I like to have some treats though, hence the pop tarts and crackers. And the reason I do have so many vegetables is because I like to cook homemade meals, not freezer microwave oven stuff. And you can only make the best home cooked meals with fresh vegetables."

"Wow, see if you notice in my cart, all it has is the frozen microwave stuff. They are good, fast, and cheap. See like this chicken fettuccine alfredo is just as good as you could make homemade, but a lot faster." He said holding up the box of pasta. I practically choked at his so naïve thoughts. It also angered me because he was comparing my cooking, to a frozen dinner you put in the microwave. And he had never even had my cooking.

"Oh no you did not just say that! Homemade is always better, I will just have to show you. I will just have to make you my fettuccine alfredo sometime and show you just how delicious homemade is."

"Ok. Cool. How about instead of coffee on Wednesday, I will come over to your apartment and you can show me the joys in a home cooked meal, and maybe even get me to help."

"Yeah! Sure! Wednesday night. Oh and bring that shit in a box so you can compare and see just how much more amazing my cooking is."

"Ok I will. Now are you done with all of your shopping or do you have more stuff to get?"

"I think I have all I need. This was the last aisle I needed to go into."

"Great! Because I would love to go make these arrangements for my home cooked meal over coffee."

"Umm… Ok. Sure. Coffee. Sounds good." Why in the world is he asking me to coffee again? He shouldn't be doing that. And _why_ did I offer to cook him dinner. WHY WHY WHY? I mean he is engaged! He definitely shouldn't have accepted it. Won't Tanya be mad? Ah, what was I thinking? I thought I was going to try to keep my heart from thinking we have a chance. I thought I was going to keep my distance! Well that is all screwed now! All that will happen out of this is that we will get closer! And he will have to see my… crap … apartment. I am definitely going to have to clean the apartment until it is spotless. Ah crap. What if he doesn't like my cooking after all? Oh jeez.

"Bella…?"

"Yes?" My head snapped up out of my rambling thoughts of pessimism. As soon as I saw him I realized that I couldn't care less about Tanya. He wanted to have dinner with me. And it was going to happen. Even if it was just as friends, he was going to have dinner with me. And I would enjoy it and have a good time with him.

"Do you want to check out then?"

"Yeah! Yeah sure." I turned around blushing, feeling embarrassed for letting myself get so distracted. I took hold of my basket and skidded it around in a circle to face the front of the store. I started pushing it, realizing just how heavy it was as I pushed it with my whole body and it still didn't go very fast.

"You want to switch baskets? I can push that to check out for you if you like." I heard his velvety voice from right behind me.

"Oh, no. It's ok. I got it." I said straining to get it going again.

"No really I can get it. It's no problem." His hands reached out and grabbed the bar of my basket, one of his arms reaching over one of mine. Our hands touched, and the now almost familiar tingles were shooting up my arm. I looked up to see his face not too far from mine, his lips pulled up in a friendly smile, and his eyes glimmering with happiness from his smile. Our eyes locked and I just couldn't look away from them, not with the wonderful feeling in my hand, and the joyful look in his eye that showed he really did want to do this for me. "Sure." I breathed, as I pulled my hands back sadly.

He smiled a little wider and then started to push my cart forward with ease. All that weight lifting was doing him some major good.

I smiled lightly to myself as I walked quickly back to his cart that was half full of mostly frozen dinners. I shook my head smirking. Tanya really has to learn how to cook; this is just not healthy for someone to only be eating frozen shit. And it doesn't even taste good! I pushed his cart to the front of the store after him and froze when I saw that he just started to pile all of my stuff on the conveyor belt, taking a while, but eventually got it all on there. I started trying to maneuver his basket so I could get through to pay when he started to stack on his entire basket too.

"What are you doing?! I can't let you do that…"

"It's no problem. And from what I heard you say earlier about the cheapest bread it looks like you need to save money, and I with my parents, I have a trust fund, and have no problem paying for your groceries."

"But. But. I can't let you do that! Even if I do need to save the money. Which you are right is pretty much true. But still! I can't!"

"Well it is too late now, my groceries are being rung up and I am not going to let you pay for mine. So it looks like these will all have to be put on my credit card." He smirked, pulling out his wallet from his back pocket; he turned to the cashier "Oh and miss? If you could bag all of those frozen dinners in separate bags from all the normal food that would be great."

"I am so paying for coffee and you have no say over it."

"Fine if that is all you need to let me buy your groceries, then so be it."

"Thank you."

"Sir? That will be $217.63. Will you be paying in cash or credit?" My eyes bugged out of my head. I will definitely be paying for coffee, and a few other things. I cannot believe he is paying for all of that.

"Credit. Here you go." Edward swiped his credit card in the little credit card thing and then quickly signed his name pressing accept. He then started grabbing all of the bags and sat them in the cart filling that one, pulling it forward and filling the second one. I just stepped back and watched as his muscles in his arms roll as he lifted the bags. He finally looked up at me when they were both full, wiping his hands together. "You ready to go?"

"Yup. Let's go shove all these into our cars."

We both pushed the carts out into the parking lot, me shoving it with my whole body, him pushing his without much effort.

"So… Where's your truck?" He remembered that I drove a truck?

"Oh. I parked it in the back corner over there. You know, to get some exercise. That is really far to push these carts though … uh, do you want to just stay here and I will park it closer to yours. You are the one in the Volvo right?" I only asked this because I didn't want him to think that I remembered everything about him like I was obsessed.

"Ok. That sounds good."

I dug through my purse and finally found my keys, and then I started to jog across the parking lot. When I reached the truck, I peeked back at him, and he seemed to have been just as I had left him, literally hadn't moved. And I am pretty sure he was staring at my ass. And he had a smile on his face. He was checking me out. But he had a fiancé. He wouldn't do that. Ugh, all the cryptic messages.

I pulled into the parking lot of the nearest coffee shop, right behind Edward. I parked my truck right next to his. And turned the key to shut it off, hesitating to open the door. Giving myself a moment to breathe in deep breaths, and calm down. I was just getting calm enough, getting ready to get out, but just not quite ready to get out and face all the puzzling messages.

A sharp tapping on my window snapped me out of my calm reverie. I jumped, my hand flying to my chest as my head snapped to my window where Edward was standing holding his stomach as he was laughing over scaring me.

I grabbed my purse, shoving my keys into one of the pockets, and slowly pushed open the creaking door.

I lightly smacked Edward on the upper arm, who was still shaking some from his laughter. "Shut up. That was so not that funny."

"Yes it was! You jumped like a mile in the air!" He laughed, as we both started to walk towards the coffee shop.

He held the door open for me, and my arm brushed his chest as I squeezed past him into the shop and I felt the tingles again. We waited in the short line, and I made sure he let me pay for whatever he wanted. We both got a large coffee and a muffin. This coffee shop had awesome muffins; they were huge and tasted heavenly. We sat down in two comfy leather chairs in a corner positioned so they were turned toward each other that had a little round coffee table in between them.

"Thank you. For buying me my coffee and muffin."

"Ah! Don't start that! I owe you much more than a coffee and muffin after you bought all of my groceries."

"That was no big deal. And it was worth it to help a pretty girl." He smiled at me, his eyes sparkling with… happiness?

Wait. He just called me pretty. Why would he do that? "Thanks…" I couldn't help the blush that reddened my cheeks as I looked away.

"What? You don't think you're pretty do you?" He looked at me with wide eyes, surprise covering his features. My eyes widened in shock over his question, why would he ask that?

"Um… well… uh… not really…"I muttered awkwardly.

"That is ridiculous. You are very pretty." I looked down at my hands, twisting them around awkwardly. No one had ever really told me I was pretty. "You have beautiful chocolate brown eyes," he reached out and lifted up my chin, brushing my hair aside, "And you have gorgeous brown hair." He caressed the hair on the side of my head, "And you have soft plump lips," He trailed his fingers over my lips, I parted my lips a bit and sighed at the wonderful feel of his fingers on my lips, my eyes drifted close reveling in it.

His light touch on my lips was there for at least half a minute until he pulled back. It was sad, I loved his touch, and it was so sweet. I slowly opened my eyes, and when I finally looked, his bright beautiful green eyes were mere inches in front of mine. My breath caught as I saw him lean forward, bringing his lips toward mine. My eyes fluttered closed once again, and I felt my whole body tingle as his lips brushed with mine.

BA BA DA BA BA BA BA BADABABA!

I pulled back abruptly as I heard Angela's ring tone sound off on my phone. She really had the worst fucking time to call for the first time in two weeks. Edward was still frozen his eyes and face looking saddened that we had been interrupted.

I realized as I dug through my purse trying to find my ringing cell phone that it really was a good thing that she called. I finally found my cell phone deep within my purse.

"Hey Angela! How are you I haven't talked to you in ages!"

"Bella?! THE BABY'S COMING!"

"SHIT!"

**So what did you think!?!?!?! Pretty unexpected huh!!! I hope you liked it. Please tell us what you think in a review! All you have to do is click that little green button and review. We would appreciate it soooo much!!!! **


	8. Stay

**A/N: HEY GUYS!!!! **

**Sorry it has been a little bit of a wait…**

**This was my beta, whose penname has changed yet again because she can't just stick with one, lol , her new penname is 'justaskathena' without the little **

' ' **of course. We had both been having some issues with this chapter. We are freshmen in high school so we haven't experienced, well anything in this chapter, which I guess is always the case because we don't live on our own, or haven't fallen madly in love, but that you can guess at, this chapter though has stuff that we can't really even know just how things happen, and how different thoughts are like in these situations. I will not give away anything right now but once you read I think you will be able to see why we could have some issues. Thank you to xXEmmexplosionXx (sorry if I spelled that wrong…. I can't remember the exact spelling…) for helping us!! We really couldn't have done it without you!! **

**And we were delayed also because it has taken me a good week to edit this. I know I know. But, I have a good reason! I have been super busy lately. My grandpa had quadruple bypass open heart surgery on the 14****th**** and so I had been spending time with family last weekend before his surgery. And I had a bunch of stuff to do and homework and stuff during the week. And then on the 14****th**** I had school then was at the hospital until 9 and then had school on Friday and then I went to the hospital til 8 and then I came back to my grandparent's house, and worked worked worked on it until midnight and then finished it up this morning and now I am posting it!!! **

**Anyway, I will stop rambling on this author note so you can read it! And then I will finish my ramblings on the bottom!**

Lucky Coincidence – Chapter 8 – Stay

I quickly snapped the phone the phone and hastily shoved it in my purse, frantically picking up all of my belongings.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Edward asked, concerned, his eyebrows scrunching up on his forehead in confusion.

"Angela's baby is coming! I have to go to the hospital!" I told him as I stood from my chair. "I am _so_ sorry!" I gave him a pleading look.

"Oh, Bella, it's no problem, she's your best friend. Of course you need to go. But, you seem kind of freaked out, and you don't have a car here, so would you like me to drive you to the hospital?" Edward smiled at me and I felt relieved, I would have someone there with me. I had never been good with blood and I shuddered at the thought of having to, uh, _see_ everything. I mean scary much? I don't know how women pop those damn kids out. I mean look at those weirdoes with the nineteen kids. Wouldn't that _hurt_?

But I ignored the thoughts and quickly accepted Edward's offer and thanked him for it and we walked, more like jogged, outside. We jumped into Edward's Volvo and he drove quickly towards the hospital, obviously sensing that I wanted to be there at least a minute ago. This was the first friend that I had ever had that was expecting. It was kind of weird that Angela was going to have a baby. I knew this meant I'd be alone at the store all day and we wouldn't be able to hang out all the time anymore. But I guess that's what you get with a baby. _At least I have Edward for a friend, right? _Where did that come from? Ah, stupid evil side of my brain.

I shook my head when we arrived to clear out my inner conversation. Quickly, I got out of the car and I tried my hardest not to trip as I walked quickly to the entrance of the hospital.

"Ready?" Edward asked as he flashed me a pearly-white smile when he caught up to my quick walking. I almost melted right there. I nodded, swallowing hard pushing down the slight feeling of nausea, as we paused outside the door. Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulders for a quick hug. I took a deep breath and pushed the doors open, walking up to the desk. Once again, the nurse just ignored me but when Edward walked up, she smiled broadly.

"Can I help you, sir?" She asked pleasantly and I glared at her.

"Yes, could you direct me to Angela Cheney's room?" He dazzled the woman but unfortunately she was smart enough to be able to think through it.

"I'm sorry, are you family?"

"Yes, my wife here is her sister," Edward explained and I stood there, trying to hide my surprise. I smirked at the woman when she looked at me. _Man, I _wish_ I was his wife!_

"Oh, oh, yes of course. Room 132, just down there," the nurse stuttered and pointed to her right.

"Thanks," Edward flashed another smile and I giggled. I wanted to say something about why Edward had said we were married, but I kept quiet. We walked silently until I felt Edward's hand on my arm. "Bella," he murmured and I looked to my right to see Angela lying in the hospital bed.

"Oh! Ang! How are you?" I rushed over to my best friend and she smiled up at me.

"I'm ok for now, until the next contraction hits, and of course later, I won't be, but it's worth it for the little bundle of joy in here." She patted her stomach lightly, smiling down at it. She then looked up at me, and noticed Edward standing just inside the door, obviously trying not to intrude, "Oh, hello Edward, I didn't see you over there!" Angela said and then she waved at Edward, who waved back smiling.

"Good," I collapsed into a chair and sighed.

"Hello! Just coming to check in on how far along you are!"

She came over and lifted up the blankets that were covering Angela down there. I saw Edward quickly turn to look the other way, in my peripheral vision. As she checked Angela, she began to talk, "So you two must be Angela's sister and brother-in-law. It was so nice of you to come, we can all see how freaked out her husband is about it!"

I was a little frozen from her statement, but I finally got myself to stutter out a response, "Oh… Um yeah… I am Angela's sister, and Edward was her best guy friend for as long as they can remember, so we wouldn't be anywhere else in the world."

"Well that is very nice of you. How very sweet, your best friend falling in love with your sister. So very romantic." She smiled sweetly as she covered Angela back up.

A contraction hit Angela then, the first one I had been here to see, and she gripped onto my hand tightly, her knuckles turning white. She screamed loudly, her forehead bursting out in a sweat. I used the hand she didn't have imprisoned in her steel grip, and grabbed the wet washcloth I saw on the little table next to me and patted her forehead with it. I told her she was going to be okay, and that everything would be fine, and reminded her that it was all worth it. She screamed for a good minute before gradually quietly calming and then just panting. As you can probably predict, I was pretty freaked out over the sudden hit of screaming and just how horrible the real thing was, as I had only seen this sort of thing in movies.

The nurse waited until she called down, and told her the latest verdict on timing, "Well, Miss Angela, you look to be a little ahead of schedule, you seem to be getting your contractions around every five minutes, and they will be coming sooner now that you are closer. But it will still be a good ten minutes before you will be completely ready to pop out this baby!"

Angela nodded weakly, at the time still being exhausted from her contraction. I smiled nicely at the nurse. She walked out the door, smiling at Edward who had migrated all the way to the door way, looking out.

"Um… Sister?! Brother-in-law?! What is going on here?" Angela asked her eyes widening, and her mommy finger coming out to shake at us.

"Ah so you're already getting the mommy finger! That is good practice for your little baby!"

"Do not change the subject Swan. I will be getting another contraction soon, and you will come out with what is going on before then."

I could hear Edward now walking more into the room, to stand somewhere being my chair. I quickly spit out the information she wanted to hear, "It was just to get in to see you. They only let in family, so Edward told the secretary that he is your brother and I am his wife… That is _it_! I swear! There is nothing going on between Edward and I. Right, Edward?"

Edward was slightly down at the floor, scuffling his shoe, a slightly disappointed look on his face. Why would he be disappointed in my answer? That _was _all that was going on between us. Nothing at all. Well nothing of what Angela was thinking. We are just friends…

"Bella's right." Edward said quietly. I still could see the slight disappointment still evident on face, and I could hear it in his voice when he spoke. Angela's eyes darted over to Edward narrowing once she saw his shy and disappointed stance, her forehead scrunching in confusion. That's odd.

"So she'll be coming soon!" I said happily trying to break the awkward silence enveloping us all.

Angela smiled but I could tell it was forced. She looked worried and a little troubled. Who wouldn't be right before they have their first baby? "Yup!" She threw out some, now, fake enthusiasm. "Um, Bella, if you don't mind, do you think you could stay in here with me when it comes? I'm not sure if Ben can handle it…"

I nodded against my will. Knowing that I could not say no, and I would just have to suck it in through all the screaming and blood. This will be one difficult afternoon. "Speaking of Ben, where is he?"

"He disappeared after the contraction I had just before you came... I think he's hyperventilating in the bathroom or something. Edward, do you mind finding and bringing him back for me?"

"Sure." Edward nodded, and walked out of the room solemnly, that sad look still slightly apparent on his face.

As soon as Edward walked out of the room Angela turned to stared at me pointedly.

"So, Bella, how are you doing?" She smirked at me and I gulped. I knew where she was going with this.

"I'm fine. And you?"

"Perfect, just perfect as I sit here in labor."

"That's good." I said and then looked away. Here it comes…

Angela started to scream, in another contraction. Well not what I was expecting, but it had been a little more than four minutes since the last one. She gripped my hand in a vice grip again this time around. Screeching and screaming like a mad woman. Her knuckles turned white against mine, and my fingertips turned purple, as she literally cut off my circulation. I patted her head with the cool washcloth again, reassuring her, that everything was fine and for a reason. The contraction was finally over, and she started to calm down, panting. I still patted the sweat off of her face, and neck, trying to calm her down faster.

"So, how is it going with Edward? I know there _has _to be something going on." She slightly panted. And there it was.

I shrugged. "Good I guess..."

"'Good'?! That's all I get?! I'm a pregnant woman whose about to give birth just went through a contraction and all you give me is 'good'?" Angela raised an eyebrow at me.

I huffed, situating myself more comfortably in the chair, crossing my arms over my chest and looking away in an attempt to seem like I wasn't really as depressed about our just friends relationship as I really am. I tried to stall, and let the silence take over the room for a full minute before Angela snapped her fingers and snapped out a "Well…?"

"_Fine_. It's going well I guess. Well I mean as good as it can be, seeing as we're only going to be friends because he's with Tanya. And they are getting married and all that stuff, but at least I can still see him. Although, I am surprised that Tanya is fine with him having coffee with me the past couple weeks, I would think she would want to be talking about the wedding and stuff. But I mean I know I should just be happy that we can be friends. I mean of course I am completely jealous of Tanya, and all that, but I mean I want him to be happy, and he is obviously happy with her. So I am happy for him." I rambled on, trying to make it so she would be happy with my answer.

"Um… Bella don't you know that..." But Angela couldn't say anymore because Edward and Ben walked in the room, Edward came and stood behind my chair but Ben paused in the doorway for a second, taking a big breath. He finally walked over to Angela's bedside and plopped weakly into the chair on that side of the bed. He smiled weakly and apologetically to Angela.

"Hey sweetheart... Sorry I ran out like that. It's just that… well I am nervous as hell, and you know that I am bad with this stuff… And well I just freaked, and started to hyperventilate, and I didn't want to freak you out… And so I ran."

"It's ok. I understand. I am just glad you are here now. It'll be time in about five minutes, from what the nurse said last."

A slightly panicked look came over Ben's face. "Five minutes? That's great!" He choked out, forcing a smile onto his lips, that looked more like a grimace.

"Benjamin, I know you are faking, and you don't have to do that with me. It will be fine-" Angela started to scream again as yet another contraction hit, now a little more than three minutes after the last. They were coming closer, it was almost time. She squeezed both Ben and my hands, hard, screaming bloody murder. I looked up and saw the pain I felt shining back in his eyes. I know it must be really hard for him to see her like this. I know it was for me. And I know that he was probably freaking out over the fact that he would be a _father _in about five minutes, and be responsible for a life, a person. I patted Angela's face and neck again, as both Ben and I reassured her. Once she finally once again calmed down, and was panting into the pillows, both Ben and I both collapsed into our chairs.

"Hey, Bella," he gave me a weak smile and I grinned back, hoping that would reassure him a bit.

The nurse then walked in and she lifted the blanket and checked Angela. "Oh, sweetie it seems you're even a little bit more ahead of schedule! It's time to get that little baby out of there!"

I tried to hold back a laugh. What the nurse had said sounded so funny. She was definitely a very energetic nurse. She walked out of the room and soon a doctor and some nurses were coming in and prepping Angela for the baby to come. Another contraction hit Angela as they were almost ready, now two minutes after the last, that little baby was just racing to get out of there. Angela squeezed the shit out of both of our hands as she held onto them for dear life and screeched on and on. Once the contraction was eventually over, I still just sat there and held her hand, and whispered reassurances now, not just to Angela, but to Ben, who also was starting to look pretty panicked.

The doctor informed us that Angela was ready to start pushing and that they will start on the next contraction. As we waited for it to hit, Edward caught my attention and motioned toward the hallway to tell me he was going to wait out there during the birth. Smart man, I wish I could do the same.

Finally, it came, and the doctor and nurses directed her when to push, and for how long, not wanting her to hurt herself from pushing too hard. They let her break for a couple moments between each push so she could catch her breath before having to do it again.

I remembered hearing something about holding a women's hand gave comfort. But boy was I wrong! It hurt like _hell_. You never know how strong someone is until you hold her hand through birth. And now, as I sat there, well, more like stood, I saw something I really hadn't wanted to see. Ever. Not to mention, Angela was screaming at the top of her lungs and shouting profanities. Which was weird, she never swore. I shuddered as I saw all of the blood. It was sickening and I almost didn't make it through.

Ben did end up fainting, but luckily didn't hit his head too hard when he fell. Then we heard the cry. It was beautiful and scary at the same time. The doctor announced that it was a girl and Angela laughed tiredly, through her panting from all the pushing. She had laid her head all the way back into the pillows, and he eyes closed with tears squeezing out and slipping down her cheeks. She smiled through her pants, and I could hear her sobbing slightly. I smiled slightly too, happy for it to be over. And I can tell you I was sobbing on the inside from the gruesome images I had to see.

She finally dropped my hand, and as I pulled it up I saw it had fingernail marks all over it, and it was bright red. I swear to God, a few marks were bleeding. I stood up straight and walked over to Ben. Shaking him gently, and informed him that his _daughter_ was currently being cleaned off.

After he was coherent enough and I helped him up, I walked over to Ang, whispering to her that I was going to step out for just a bit and give Ben and her some alone time with their daughter. As soon I got outside the room, I put my back against the wall and sank down to the floor, holding my head in my hands. Edward had noticed me from where he was sitting in a few chairs that were down the hallway and crouched down in front of me.

"You ok?" He asked quietly.

"Holy shit. Edward, that was brutal. Look at my hand!" I thrust my hand out and he peered at it, laughing a bit. "Why are you laughing? I just got mauled! And the blood… Oh the blood… now that was disgusting."

"Ah, Edward, and its Bella, right?" We both turned to see Dr. Carlisle Cullen.

"Hey Dad, how did you know I was here?"

"I was just informed that my son and his _wife_ were here. Is there some congratulations to be dished out, Edward? Something you didn't tell any of us?" Carlisle asked, amused as he looked down at our positions. Oh, jeez, he must have thought that I was Tanya and they had done something rash. Oh god. What must he think now that he sees me?

Edward laughed, even though it did seem a tad bit like he had to force it, and I would swear I had seen his face contort for a split second before he laughed. "That was just to get in the front desk."

Carlisle chucked as well and then looked down at me. "What's wrong?"

"She just experienced her first live birth; she's scarred for life, literally." Edward held up my hand and Carlisle gazed at it, trying to hold back laughter.

"Bella!" Angela's parents panted as they jogged up the hallway to Angela's room. "Did we miss it? Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Unfortunately, you did miss it, even though I think you are pretty fortunate." I held up my hand to show them all the marks. And they chuckled lightly, "And poor Ben passed out near the end of it. To tell you the truth I am surprised I hadn't, you know my aversion to blood. But it is a girl. They haven't named it yet though-"

"Hey, Bella! Can you come back in here?" I heard Angela call to me and I sighed as the two Cullens chuckled again.

"Well, I'll let you all go, just had to see if that off the wall story was somehow true," Carlisle nodded and turned away.

"What story?" Mrs. Cheney asked.

"Oh it's nothing, I had to say that I was Angela's sister and my friend Edward here was my husband for us to be allowed back here. So if the nurse comes in and says something about your _daughters_, play cool."

I saw Edward frown slightly at the word _friend_. What is so wrong with that word? It was all we were! It is all we can ever be!

I walked in with Angela's parents with Edward following, and her parents and I made a beeline for Angela. "Look who's here!"

"Mom! Dad! You're here!"

"Yup! We just got here, and your _sister_ here informed us that you had already had your little _girl_! Sorry we didn't get here. We were in the middle of bible study at church, and had to have our cell phones off, and obviously were not home to get the message there."

"It's totally fine, I had Bella and Ben here to support me. But, I would like you to meet…" Angela pushed back the blanket that was covering her daughters little head. She was so beautiful, and so cute, even though she was still all read from the birth. "Ella Ava Cheney. Ella is because of you Bella, you've been so helpful and such a great friend." Angela smiled at me and I stared at her, my mouth opened.

"Wh-What?" I was bewildered.

"Yup, hope that's okay with you!" Ben laughed.

"I'm- I- You- It's completely fine! Wow! Someone named after me… well… technically." I giggled. "Aw! I'm touched guys, thanks!"

We slowly passed the baby around the room, all of us cooing over little Ella. As I held her, I couldn't stop smiling, she was so adorable. Definitely worth all the pain, "She is so cute you guys! The cutest baby I have ever seen!" I rocked her back and forth, and slipped my pinky into her little hand. She was so tiny, and delicate.

Edward looked so cute as he held little tiny Ella, and was holding her little hand, shaking it lightly up and down, making funny faces at her and making funny noises. It was really hard holding back my laughter, at how silly he looked, and Ella was practically asleep, her eyes barely open, but he still tried to entertain her.

"I just realized Ella's initials are the same as mine!" Edward all of the sudden burst out, chuckling at the coincidence.

"Oh yeah? What's your middle name?" I asked curiously.

"Anthony."

"Oh, huh, E.A.C. How_ ironic_," I cocked my head at Angela. She smiled and shrugged. I knew what she was up too.

"It's such a lucky coincidence!" Angela said happily. Uh huh, I had been having a lot of _lucky coincidences_ lately, but I think this one was forced to happen.

"That's so funny, she's named after you and unintentionally after me. Nice, you guys!" Edward laughed and I was sure he didn't get the whole point behind the coincidence. I laughed too, glaring at Angela. Unintentionally my ass.

We talked for just a bit more. Just chatting about Ella and how Angela and Ben had been in the time I didn't have any contact with them. Angela and Ben were both so cute with Ella. They both cooed to her, and they really never stopped smiling at all. She had become the center of their universe.

I eventually decided it was time to leave, "Hey, we will let you spend some alone time with your new little daughter, and the new grandparents. And Angela, let you get some rest. I'll come and visit again tomorrow. See you soon, Ang!" I hugged her and kissed Ella's head and poked her little nose lightly, then waved goodbye to Ben.

When I walked out of the room with Edward, all the noises and images of the previous hours of the night came back to haunt me.

"Would you like to get a drink with me?" I asked Edward.

He looked at me, stunned. But then he nodded. "Sure."

We drove to the local bar and as soon as we got in I got six shots and downed most of them feeling the burn as they went down. I turned to Edward who was gawking at me, obviously shocked by how many shots I just took in such a quick amount of time.

"What are you staring at? You didn't have to see the life scarring things I did in that hospital room." I raised my eyebrows at him and he just looked at me. Then he slowly nodded and a smile grew on his face.

"Okay. I want some now."

Wait. Shouldn't he be home? I made sure to voice this probably last rational thought that was to run through my mind, "Are you sure? There's no one you need to be home for?"

"Uh, Bella, I think the dog will be fine…" Edward looked at me oddly and he winced a bit, but I didn't push any farther.

I shrugged. Whatever, we would have fun here as I drowned myself in alcohol to get those graphic images out of my head.

Then he ordered six more shots, handing me three of them. I smirked; he didn't want to get as drunk but obviously did realize just how much I needed it.

"I don't normally do this. Last time I got this drunk was after my last breakup. Ang took me out. I had the time of my life that night, I had so much fun!" I giggled and thought back to that night. It was amazingly fun and normally I wouldn't dance but I did like crazy that night.

Edward laughed. "I don't normally do this either."

Then, I took the few shots, feeling it again as it burned down my throat. I was starting to feel some of the affects of the pure liquor as I could tell my vision was blurring some, and I started to feel a little more confident.

I ordered a rum and coke, and Edward ordered the same. I quickly sipped mine up as soon as it came to the table.

We were then silent for a little while but I started talking to Edward in our booth. I giggled incessantly as I heard just how perverted everything he was saying was.

And the next thing I knew I was standing on the stage singing karaoke in front of everyone. And I was enjoying it. My singing was by no means good. I was swaying even though I was trying to stand still. And the lyrics were a jumbled mess from how slurred they were.

But I didn't care.

Edward helped me off the stage, trying to keep his smile off of his face. Obviously he thought my terrible singing was hilarious.

"Now what are you laughing at? Is it my singing? Edward Anthony Cullen, you better not be laughing at my singing." I pretended to be mad at him just to see how he would react.

His eyes widened and he started to stutter, "No... I wasn't… I…"

I burst out in hysterical laughter, at his panicked expression, "It's okay! I know am terrible! I wanted to just see your reaction. It was very satis-atis-fac-ator-raryy."

He just shook his head back and forth as we sat down in our booth. I watched as his hair moved across his forehead sexily. I licked my lips, at just how sexy he is. I slowly scanned my eyes down his face, and was captured in his beautiful green eyes. He wasn't looking up, so I wasn't caught awkwardly staring into his eyes as he stared into mine though.

Our waitress came over, and I ordered three more shots, and another rum and coke. Edward ordered water, obviously done with drinking.

As soon as she left to go get the drinks. Edward starting talking, "So that was pretty intense at the hospital huh? From what you said I should be _very_ glad that I was not in the room."

"Yes! Glad be you _should_! I mean should you glad…nevermind. I have never seen anything _disgusting so_! All the blood and the screaming! And my SCARRING of the hand! It terrible was! I be will scarred the rest of life." I was probably shouting, but I didn't give a damn if people heard me or not, but I did try to lower my voice as I could see Edward shifting his eyes around, making sure no one was looking at us, "I am de-fine-iti-iti-itely turned me off child birth while for a. I mean why would anyone to go want through much pain for little baby that keep you up all night screaming heads their off, and whining and sucking up your savings account for the rest of their life?! I wanted kids always, after but tonight, at least for tonight have a I changed perspective on kids."

"I think children are wonderful… Well, I have always wanted a kid. Once I was married and settled down of course. I have never admitted it to anyone though, because I thought they would think I was turning into a pussy."

I looked down at my hands, not knowing how to answer that after I had so openly bashed kids. The awful awkward silence ensued and I eventually looked up to see him looking down at his beer bottle, twirling it around in a circle on the table. I resumed my scanning of his sculptured face. I resumed from where I was before, and looked down his chiseled nose, and then got to his lips… his beautiful, luscious, full lips. I could imagine myself kissing those lips. I could picture me leaning across this table, and kissing him, and the kiss deepening, and then slipping my tongue into his mouth tasting his sweet tongue.

I yanked myself out of my out of control thoughts, knowing that if I let them go on any further I knew I would end up pushing myself across the table and taking him right there. And I could not do that, he was engaged.

I continued to just stare at him, and let my eyes trail down his chest, that I could see a little bit of his muscles through. How much I wanted to ask him, 'Do you know you how sexy you are?'

He smirked and chuckled, "I have heard it before, yes."

I gasped as I realized that I had let the question slip through my lips. I felt my cheeks heat up in a blush and I looked down at the table.

I turned my head to the left and saw a little person sitting there. My eyes widened in shock as I saw that she was bouncing in laughter.

"What laughing you about? Don't think you he's hot?" I quietly asked the little girl in the smooth and shimmery silver dress with the white rough sides. She still just shimmered in laughter.

"Oh so you're not going to answer me? Oh… I know, you are just flab-berrr-er-gas-ited-ed speechless by his smexy features aren't you? I know that feeling. I know it's like that for me every day I see him! I finally have gotten over it though, and I am able to talk to him in a conversation normal."

"Bella...? Why are you talking to the napkin holder…?"

"What do you mean?" I asked him looking up to his eyes that were shimmering in laughter, "There little girl sitting right there!"

I looked back to the little girl, and she was _gone!_ All that was there was the napkin holder that was there all night. "Where did she go?! She just left me without answering my questions!! And not saying goodbye?!?"

"Bella…. I think it's time to get you home."

"But I need to find that little girl and answer make her my question!! And goodbye I need to say!!"

"I don't think we are going to find her… It's getting late, and I think you are sufficiently drunk enough. C'mon let's go. "

I huffed and finally agreed.

Edward held me up as I stumbled over my own feet. I was already clumsy enough and being intoxicated didn't help me one bit. I had ended up having a lot of alcohol, and considering my small frame; I got drunk quickly, and after I had had that much I was super drunk. Edward was fine, well not fine, but a lot better than I was. He had the three shots, and the rum and coke, and a bunch of water. I don't know how he had the will power.

"That was funnnnnnn," I slurred. And hiccupped, giggling after.

"It sure was," Edward chuckled.

"Let's go back!"

"I think we should get you home…"

"Okay," I hung my head but hiccupped again and giggled. Then I started singing our song loudly and way off tune, "8-6-7-5-3-0-9."

Edward laughed again and tried to quiet me down as we neared his car.

"Oh, no, you don't want me in there, what if I throw up? Oh jeez," I babbled and he shook his head.

"It'll be okay, I'll just go get it cleaned."

I giggled. "Okay," I murmured. As soon as he started driving, I already felt nauseous and my eyes widened. A squeak escaped my mouth and my stomach churned. Great.

"Should I slow down, Bella?" Edward asked and I nodded frantically. I vowed to myself I would never drink this much again.

"C'mon, I'll help you inside," I had passed out during the slower ride back to the apartments, and Edward had picked me up out of car, and started walking me to the building.

"What is your apartment number?"

"12." I mumbled sleepily.

"Do you have your keys?" He asked as we stopped and he set me lightly to my feet.

I looked at him blurrily and swayed on the spot. He stared at me. "Bella. Do you have your keys?"

"Oh, oh, yeah, right here," I dug into my pocket and dropped them into his hand, but he must have moved it because the keys started to whoosh past, he stooped down quickly and caught them before they hit the ground. Damn his coordination.

"Are you good for me to let go of you to unlock your door?"

I nodded my head. And he pulled his arm that was around me away.

I started giggling at the pretty colors the swirling sidewalk and walls and of the building made, as I swayed around. Edward just shook his head at me.

"What? It's pretty!" I shouted.

Edward just chuckled, "Sure Bella. Sure."

The next thing I knew the pretty colors of the ground were coming toward my face fast. And I was giggling incessantly at them. But then I was in Edwards arms.

"Whoa, there Bella. No face planting tonight please."

"No! No!" I screamed as he pulled me away from the pretty colors. "No! No!!! I like the pretty colors! Stop! Stop! No!! No!!"

Edward twisted me around and laid my crying face into his shoulder, as he picked up my knees.

I heard the door click and suddenly I was being laid down on my couch.

"Mmmm, that's comfortable." But as I wriggled to get more comfortable I got this odd but terribly familiar feeling, "Oh shit." I stumbled up and started to stagger towards the bathroom. All the pretty colors of my apartment making me look at the walls in awe as I stumbled as fast as I could banging into them on my way. Edward was right behind me, he must have known I was about to blow. I finally made it to the bathroom, and my stomach heaved up all the stuff in it. I watched the pretty colors of everything in my stomach swirl around in the water. It was art.

I felt disgusting, puking in front of him. But then I realized he was holding my hair. _Edward Cullen was holding MY hair!_

"I'm sorry I puked. Thank you for holding my hair…"

"It's okay, love," he murmured and- wait, _what? Love?_ I shook the thought away, thinking he was just trying to make me feel better, or was just saying it of habit from having to do this to _Tanya._

After I was eventually finished puking my guts out, I leaned back into the cabinet beside the toilet and closed my eyes. I felt Edward pick me up once again and I felt him set me on my bed this time, He started to turn away, but I grabbed his shirt, I couldn't let him go, I just couldn't, he was too nice, and in my state I know I would be crushed to see him leave through that door. He was so sexy, and hot, and I really wanted him to stay, but as much as I wanted that I knew he couldn't. It was already so late, and Tanya _must _be pissed. As you can imagine, I was shocked as I heard these words leave my lips, "Stay, please."

He turned back and gave me a strange, confused, look but then nodded. "Okay. I'll stay."

**A/N: So what did you think? I hope you think it's ok! We tried our best on the drunk part. We obviously haven't been drunk, and so we couldn't write from experience. And more stories that the character is drunk they show it more from a sober person POV. And we couldn't write from that because we can't write from Edwards POV yet. And so yeah. We hope you think its ok! That was the part we got xXEmmexplosionXx's help on and she was fantastic!! Thank you sooooo much for helping!!!!!! Anyway. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! We barely get any reviews anymore!! And we would really LOVE to hear what you think about this chapter!!! We really worked hard on this and discussed it multiple times, and have added bunches of little things that we hoped would be good… And so we would LOVE to hear what you think about this chapter! Or the story at whole if you haven't reviewed! Oh and tell us? What do you think is going on with Edward??? Tell us in a review!!!!! **

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!!**


	9. Stories

**55 pages in word in Cambria size 12 font, 29,193 words, 2,529 lines, 496 paragraphs. And 2 weeks and 5 ½ days later. This chapter is done. That is EXACTLY how long this chapter is, and how many days it took me to write and then edit this massive chapter. Before editing it was 49 pages, and around 22000 words I think. I am SO SO SO SORRY for taking sooo long to post this chapter, but I think the fact it is so huge hopefully makes up for it as it is worth like 3 or four chapters if we split it up. The reason it took me so long is because it took me forever to get motivation for this chapter. I got caught up in facebook and MLIA and other distracting websites. And I just didn't want to write. You can thanks Lady Technicolor for kicking me in the ass and then helping me begin it when I was at her house for our Harry Potter marathon (that is the inspiration behind the HP references in here. I had harry on the brain.**

**I am sorry to say to readers of my other stories that I wont be updating for them soon as of right now though. I have to spend a lot of time on doing my summer reading project for my advanced LA class that is due the first day of school. Lady Technicolor also has to do this project, so neither us will be posting soon for this now. I am going to get into Back to Forks, Love in the Most Inconvenient Places, and maybe How Much I Love You once I finish this project and once I get into the swing of school. I am sorry that will be like a month from now. **

**But you all can be happy and entertained with this massive thing! This chapter alone is going to almost double this stories word count. It could probably be broken up into 2 or three chapters… but I don't know if I could find good breaking points now. And I wanted to give you guys something good for you extremely long wait. This chapter will take a long time to read so get comfy and begin reading! There is a LOT of events and important stories in this chapter so pay attention to everything. There is also a ton of events and some funny stuff and romantic stuff… and I am verging on saying too much so I am going to shut up now. GO READ! See you at the bottom! We will have thanks to the reviewers of the last chapter down there.**

Lucky Coincidence – Chapter 9 – Stories

I opened my eyes to my bright bedroom, squinting them at the light pouring through the window. I groaned at the splitting headache throbbing through my head, and dropped my head back into my pillow moaning into it. _What happened last night? _I wracked my mind trying to figure out what the hell I did last night. The last thing I really remember was having a drink with Edward at the bar. But I don't remember the rest of the night, when I had apparently come home, and then passed out in my bed. I pulled my head out of my pillow once more, and looked around my room trying to see if there were any clues of what happened. I was still in my clothes from yesterday, but I did see that my shoes were sitting perfectly in line next to the bedroom door. _What? How did that happen if I was drunk? I didn't have a one night stand did I? Crap. _

I decided I should probably get up, and get moving, I would be late for work, and it is Monday after all. And I would be going to see Angela and Ella in the hospital after, so I have to go get all of my work done early, so I can leave. I moaned again at the pain shooting through my head, and cursed myself for obviously drinking myself away the night before. I pulled my feet out from under my covers, and let them drop to my floor. I rubbed at my eyes, and turned to my nightstand to see what time it was, but there was a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin sitting right in front of my clock. _Where did that come from?_ _Were there some magical hangover fairies hanging around that I don't know about? _

I picked up the bottle of aspirin thanking whoever left it there for me, and twisted the cap off. Of course it took me a minute to do, because it was childproof and in my post-inebriated state I couldn't get my fingers to work like I wanted. When I finally got it open, I shook out two of the small white pills into the palm of my hand. I twisted the lid of the bottle back on and set it back down on my nightstand, carefully, as I knew loud noises would hurt. I proceeded to pick up the glass that was half full of water, tossed the pills to the back of my throat, and gulped a ton of water to get them down. I continued to drink the rest of the water in the glass, all of the sudden very thirsty.

I was feeling slightly better, now that my mouth wasn't so dry, and I knew my head would be a lot better soon. I pushed myself off of my bed, stretching my arms over my head, it felt really good, as I was sore from being so drunk, and from sleeping in the same position all night long. I decided I should have some coffee before I did anything this morning, and shuffled my way into my kitchen yawning, and still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. After a big yawn I pulled in a big breath through my nose, and caught the wonderful scent of freshly brewed coffee.

"Mmmm." I couldn't help the contented moan that left my lips at the wonderful smell of coffee. _Wait! How is there freshly brewed coffee sitting in my coffee maker right now when I just woke up? _I started to get a little panicked; _did I have a one night stand last night?_ _Shit shit shit! _I backed myself up against my refrigerator, glancing around quickly looking to see if there was anyone around. I couldn't see anyone, but who knows where they could be!

"H-Hello?" I called, my throat scratchy. I coughed and cleared my throat, "Hello?" I called clearer this time. No answer. _What the hell? Who did all this? _

I glanced around suspiciously one last time before slowly stepping away from my refrigerator. I turned my back on the open room, hoping against hope that some rapist wasn't in my apartment from last night. I reached into my cabinet to grab a coffee mug, I pulled it down and set it down on the counter next to the coffee maker. I lifted the pot, checking around me again, thinking that maybe the person would jump out after seeing me take the coffee pot, but no one did. I poured the hot liquid into the mug up to the top then set the coffee pot back in the coffee maker. I grabbed the coffee off the counter and turned around leaning my butt up against the counter, looking around the open kitchen for any clues as to who was here. I did see my house key sitting right in the middle of my counter, accompanied by my morning newspaper, but there wasn't anything around them or under the key. Just the key and the paper, sitting there like someone left it there for me, but yet didn't want me to know who it was… Mysterious.

I lifted the mug to my lips and sipped a mouth-full of the coffee into my mouth. It was searing hot and would have burned my tongue if I was not used to drinking coffee this hot for so long. I couldn't help the hum of appreciation as is slid down my throat. I didn't even taste it I had swallowed so fast; just so I could feel the familiar warmth slowly spreading through my chest and stomach. Plus I really needed to begin getting some caffeine into my system.

I guzzled down a couple more mouth fulls of the coffee before slowing down, and walking over to the other counter and sliding the paper towards me. I looked all over the cover to see if the mystery person had written anything on it, but they hadn't. I then glanced at the headline to see what was going on in the news. No big surprise there, just more death and destruction. I flipped to my favorite and usual section, the wedding and engagement announcements, and began to read the cute stories of all the couples.

Reading this was supposed to make me happy, but all it succeeded in doing was making me think of Edward and what I wished could happen with us. That was when I realized that in all of my mornings of reading through the wedding and engagement announcements, I never saw one for Edward and Tanya. That's weird; I would have expected them to have it in the paper. I guess they just aren't into announcing their happy news to the whole city. I find it weird since at least Edward is a small town person, everyone knows everyone in a small town, and so I would have thought he would have put their announcement in there so the town would know.

I pushed the paper away, seeing that all the reading was doing was making me sadder. I decided I would make breakfast, but I was lazy and I didn't have that much time. I pulled a box of lean pockets out of my freezer and took out one of the plastic wrapped pockets. I checked the side of the box for cooking time before putting the box back in the freezer. I ripped open the plastic wrapping, pushed the pocket in the crisping sleeve and then put it in the microwave on top of a paper towel, setting the time to the given 2 minutes and pressed start. I watched the microwave get going and then walked back over to my coffee cup still sitting next to the open paper. I picked it up and went to go sit in one of my kitchen chairs. I sipped some of the now still hot but not scalding like it was before coffee. And what touched my tongue was the best coffee that had ever touched my lips.

"Ungh! Oh, my God!" I couldn't help but moan in pleasure at how delicious it was. Now you may be thinking I am over-exaggerating about how good this coffee is, but I'm not. This coffee was amazing! I have to find whoever it was who made this! I greedily sipped more, and again moaned in my mouth again at the rich and perfect taste of it. I continued to sip at it, and heard the timer go off on the lean pocket in the microwave. I checked my watch and noted the time so I could wait the two minutes you're supposed to, to let it finish cooking and cool down before you eat it.

I finished off my delicious mug of coffee before grabbing the lean pocket out of the microwave, and folding in the bottom so I could eat it. I grabbed the paper towel, off the bottom of the microwave, knowing I would eventually spill some of the insides out of the pocket.

I walked back into my bedroom, and walked into the bathroom turning on the hot water in the shower to start it heating up. I walked back into my room and flipped through my closet as I ate my breakfast. I pulled out a nice steely-blue top; it was a short sleeved, V-neck, with slightly puffed shoulders and a wrap like appearance on the chest, and was tight around my torso, it also had a band under my bust that became a tie in the back. I paired it with my nice dark wash jeans. I was going to go visit Angela and the baby after work, and I didn't want to be wearing my dress clothes in case the baby puked or something and I didn't want to ruin them. I finished off my lean pocket and tossed the crisper sleeve in the trashcan in my bathroom, surprised that I had actually not spilled anything out of it. I turned on the cold water, just a tad to turn down the water from scalding to just hot. I stepped into the water, sighing in content as my tense muscles from the rough night started to relax.

I made short work of my shower, quickly washing my hair and soaping down my body. I stepped out of the shower, wrapping my hair in a towel and toweling my body dry. I went into my room and slipped into my underwear and bra, and pulled on my jeans. These were my favorite pair of nice jeans as they were my nice dark ones that were fit perfectly to my butt and legs but were still comfortable. I pulled the blue shirt over my head, making sure it didn't get caught on the towel that was still on my head. I pulled the shirt down, and adjusted it until I was satisfied with how it looked on my body. I tied the strings in the back into a bow, and pulled it until the ties and loops were almost even. I checked the clock and realized I have 20 minutes until I have to be at the jewelry shop, including travel time.

"Shit!" I quickly ran back in to the bathroom and pulled the towel off of my hair, and draped it over a bar on the shower door, for it to dry. I plugged in my hair dryer and pulled off the styling piece on the front so I could get the full blast of heat on my hair. I turned it on high and made sure it was on hot and then flipped my head over and started to blow my hair dry as I ran my fingers through it to get the knots out, and then scrunched it trying to give it some volume. I blow dried it mostly dry, the ends were still damp, and some of the top wasn't completely dry, but that was ok. I would just drive to the store with the windows down and let the breeze through the windows dry it. I quickly put on a little bit of mascara, thanking the heavens that in my hurry I didn't stab my eye out. I ran quickly back into my room, and pulled a pair of navy socks out of my sock drawer, and then pulled my pair of black skinny sneakers out of the bottom of my closet. I plopped down on my bed, and pulled on the short socks quickly, and then pulled the sneakers on that thankfully were the elastic tie kind so I didn't have to tie laces.

I grabbed my phone off of my nightstand, and pulled the charge cord from it. Thank you mystery person for even thinking of plugging my phone in to charge! You are my saving grace today! I shoved the phone in my pocket as I quickly left my room. I grabbed my thermos out of the cabinet above the coffee maker and poured the remainder of the delicious coffee into it. I turned off the coffee maker and grabbed my house key off the counter. I found my purse sitting on the table I had near the door, this person had thought of everything! I unlocked the deadbolt, opened the door, turned the lock on the knob, closed the door as I walked out, and then locked the deadbolt behind me before jogging over to my truck.

I am shocked that I have not had some clumsy accident yet this morning. I had thought it to be absolutely impossible to actually walk quickly and jog this much on a hangover, being me, and not have fallen on my face. I located the keys to the truck in my purse and unlocked it, yanking the door open and jumping inside. I slammed the door shut, shoved the key in the ignition, put it in reverse, checked behind me, and pulled out of my parking spot. I drove out of the parking lot, seeing that Edward's car wasn't there. I was slightly disappointed. _Oh my god, you are so pathetic! Sad over the fact you didn't get to see his CAR! What is wrong with you woman? Pull yourself together! He's probably at the gym! You would have been this morning too if you hadn't drank yourself into oblivion last night!_

I got to the store just in time for opening, and unlocked the front door heading inside, and into my office. I set my purse down, and sat down in my desk chair sagging into the back. Finally relaxing my tense shoulders and back of my worry of being late to work. I sighed, turned myself around and turned on my computer beginning my work for the day.

Work was boring, I got one customer all morning, and it wasn't even a sale, some guy just coming to look. He said he was just starting to think about proposing and wanted to see what we had before he came in to buy one. He said he would probably be back soon, but I didn't count on it, as a lot of people say that and then never come back.

I got more work done than I had been getting done in the past week, but still not as much as I used to get done before I had caught sight of Edward. He plagued my mind. I couldn't stop thinking about the events of yesterday. A lot went on, I had just gone to get groceries when I saw Edward, and we ended up going to get coffee. Soon into our coffee Angela had called to say she was having the baby. Edward and I ended up spending all afternoon at the hospital, and then we went out to get drinks and apparently I got completely wasted. I then somehow ended up at home with my shoes taken off by whoever took me home and then they neatly placed them by my door, put my purse by my front door, and stayed the night as they left me water and aspirin, made me the most delicious coffee and got my newspaper in the morning. I really need to talk to Edward to see what happened after the first few shots last night.

I continued to work in my office; doing the payroll, there wasn't much to do, seeing as I had been the only one here for a week and we don't make too much business anyway. It was slow work, but that was ok because it allowed me to let my mind wander sometimes.

I checked the clock and saw I had only been here for three hours. And it was only noon. I growled in frustration and decided I would close the store and go get lunch. I needed some major hangover food, and I definitely needed a break from this boring office work. I made sure to save my work on the computer before turning it off. I grabbed my purse from under my desk and left my office, grabbing the "closed for lunch be back at _:_" sign and started to walk towards the door. I dug around my purse and found my key ring with the key to the store. I was just thinking about how uncharacteristically not clumsy I had been all day when of course, in a combination that I would have thought impossible of anyone else, I tripped over my own foot. I started to fall face first to the ground, but then my purse strap caught in the slight crack between two of the jewelry cases and it yanked my arm back at a weird angle and in turn my upper body was pulled back so I ended up on my knees. To top of my performance, in all of that, my other arm was flailing around first trying to keep myself from face planting, and then when I was yanked back, trying to catch my balance. I ended up tossing my key ring into the air, and then smacking myself right in the face with the out to lunch sign, hard. Just as I had groaned feeling like my klutzy moment was over, the key ring full of heavy keys came down and landed right, square on the top of my head.

"Owwww." I muttered, letting go of my purse and rolling my shoulder, then dropping the sign and rubbing my face where it stung, and the top of my head where the keys landed.

"Holy shit Bella! Are you okay?" Of course. Of course, that in my distracted thoughts and then examination of how the hell it was possible for me not to do something clumsy all day, and then as I fell, I had missed the bell of the door opening. And of course, it wasn't just some random customer I would never see again. It was Edward. Shoot me now! How many times has this man seen me make a complete fool out of myself and looking like a babbling bumbling band of baboons. _Did you really just reference a Harry Potter quote? Yes I did. It is a good scene but why would you think of this now? Especially since you aren't British! Edward does kind of look like Cedric Diggory… _

"Bella?" I looked up to see him standing over me, a worried look on his face.

_Pull yourself together woman! Edward just showed up at the store and asked you if you were ok and you are thinking about how he might look like Cedric Diggory? Now you idiot answer him!_

"Um, yeah, I'm fine. My shoulder is a little sore, and my face stings from getting smacked in the face by the sign, and the top of my head from the keys, and my knees a little from falling… But it's not anything I'm not used to."

"That doesn't sound fine. But, good. I'm glad you're ok. It sucks your used to it… Here, let me help you up." He reached his hand out and I took it with one of my own. He took my other elbow, and pulled me up and I righted myself. I rubbed at my knees, thankful I wore pants today so my knees weren't rug burned. I bent down and picked up the sign and my keys from where they had fallen off my head.

"Thanks." I smiled up at him thankfully, "How red is my face? Bright red like I just smacked myself with my out to lunch sign? Or is it just slightly red like I just have a weird case of an uneven blush on just one cheek?"

"I would say that it just surpasses the weird blush to be I just smacked myself in the face with the out to lunch sign." He chuckled, smiling that crooked smile that made my knees feel like jell-o. He brushed his fingers over the still stinging part of my face, and it felt amazing on my skin. "Now what exactly happened here?"

My cheeks flamed in a blush as my embarrassment of my klutziness took over. Edward chuckled again, "Oh wait, maybe it did look like an uneven blush now that I am reminded of just how red your cheeks can get."

I narrowed my eyes at his overly-amused face; he got too much entertainment out of my misery. "Well I was just going to take a break from the monotony of this slow work day, and go out to grab a bite to eat for lunch. And I had my purse and the lunch sign in either hand… And I tripped over my own foot. And well as I was falling into a face plant I guess my purse strap got caught in-between the two cases, and it pulled me back to my knees, and then in the flailing of this arm I smacked myself in the face with the sign really hard and tossed my keys into the air and they then landed on my head."

He burst out laughing at me, and I smacked his arm. "Hey! You know how clumsy and unlucky I am by now! And all of this was a collection of all the clumsy things that could have happened to me all morning. I usually would have tripped, fallen, stubbed my toe, something along those lines, and had done so multiple times by now. But I was somehow not clumsy getting ready this morning and I made it alive. So this was all of my clumsiness for the day mashed into one instead of spread out."

"Sure, Bella." Edward was still calming himself down from his laughter, "I think things like this happen to you all the time, lucky morning or not. Do I have to remind you about falling off the treadmill, and dropping a weight on my foot?"

I blushed at the memories, but scowled at his smirking face, "Okay, fine whatever you want to think. All I am saying is that I have actually had a lucky morning so far today. Which I need to talk to you about, because I can't really remember anything that happened last night, after my second drink, what-so-ever."

Edwards face seemed to fall, but only for a second before a grin graced his features, "Actually I am glad to hear you haven't had lunch yet. I thought after all you had to drink last night that you would be in need of some major hangover food. So I thought we could go and grab either some burritos or pancakes. Your choice. I will answer your questions as we eat."

_He really likes taking me out for a friend. He bought me coffee, he bought my groceries, he probably ended up buying my drinks last night, and he was now taking me out to lunch? And we were going to be making and having dinner together on Wednesday. Maybe you should try to pull away, I mean you probably aren't helping him any by agreeing to all of his requests. He's engaged, and he could be warring with himself on the right thing to do… Oh who am I kidding I am not going to give up seeing him for the possibility that he might be having problems with staying faithful to Tanya. You would much rather them break up anyway! _"That actually sounds perfect right now. Let me just detach my purse from the cases, and hang up the closed sign. Then we can go." I smiled at him warmly, searching his eyes to see if I could see what he was thinking. I can't help but wonder what he was thinking about us. He was engaged, and couldn't be trying anything with me, but yet he always seems like he is just trying to get closer to me, and keeps asking me to do date like things. I shook my head of the thought and turned towards my purse that was still hanging from the crack I thought would have been too skinny to fit the purse strap. I dropped the sign and my keys on top of the counter before I grabbed both of the purse straps and pulled, it didn't even budge. I groaned and let the straps go slack and then suddenly yanked the straps really hard. I felt it move a teeny bit, but not much and it was still stuck.

"What the hell? How did it get wedged in there so hard when all that I did was accidentally get it caught here as I was falling to my face?"

Edward snorted and hid his amused smile behind his hand pretending to cough, as I turned to glare at him. "This isn't funny! It's stuck! And it's just another thing to add to this whole clumsy accident." I huffed in annoyance at my stupid purse.

"Here, let me help you." Edward chuckled at me. I sighed and dropped the straps stepping aside.

Edward grabbed both of the straps and gave it a pull, that looked like it took no effort, and the purse came loose easily. "How did you do that? It was really stuck in there! It barely budged for me, and you pulled it out easy like it was nothing!" I stared at him in awe, and mumbled, "I so loosened it first."

Edward just shook his head and laughed, handing me my purse. I stuck my tongue out at him, and squint my eyes like a little kid would. "Whatever. Let's get out of here." I brushed past his still laughing form, and headed to the door. I hung the lunch sign on the open sign hook, taking off the open sign first. I turned the dials on the lunch sign until the time was at 1:30 then hung the open sign behind it. I waited for him to step out behind me, and then locked the door.

"Alright, so let's blow this popsicle stand. Where do you prefer to go? Burritos or Pancakes?" I turned to Edward.

"It doesn't matter to me. I'm not the one who drank my weight in alcohol last night, and probably has a really bad hangover. It's your choice. I was thinking Plaza Jalisco if you want burritos, or Forks Diner if you wanted pancakes. Both are really good, I love the food at Plaza Jalisco, and the pancakes at the diner are to die for. "

"Ha-ha. I am going to go for pancakes, as I didn't have that great of a breakfast this morning. I had a quick lean pocket, so pancakes sound really good right now."

"So Forks Diner it is. Shall we?"

"Yes, we shall." Where the hell was this comfortableness with him coming from? I usually can barely think straight around him, none the less talk like a normal person. Maybe it's because I spent so much time with him yesterday, and I became more comfortable.

We walked over to his Volvo, and I could feel his hand ghosting over the small of my back as he led me there. He opened my door smiling widely at me, and waved to the open passenger seat, motioning for me to sit. I smiled shyly back at him, taking my seat, and tucking my legs in before he shut the door for me. I buckled my seatbelt and placed my purse on the floor between my feet as he came to his side around the front. He plopped down into his seat, pulling his seat belt down over him. I saw the muscles on his bicep flex as he reached behind him to grab it and then turned to click it into place. I nearly salivated. As he turned his face came closer to me and I could feel a little of his breath against my arm. I realized that I was staring at him blatantly and quickly turned to face forwards. I took a deep breath in to try and wrangle in my improper thoughts about him. Except, it didn't help anything, because all that did was help me get a sniff of his delicious scent. It wasn't cologne, just him. Well that was what I smelled in his car. I think I smell a bit of cologne in the car surrounding him, especially right after he had leant so close to me. It just added to his sultry scent, and attracted me even more. I was so close to letting my nose guide me towards him so I could smell him more. I gripped the sides of the seat to keep me from moving.

"Are you afraid of my driving?" Edward chuckled, glancing over at me with a smirk on his face.

"Um," Oh crap, he's asking why I am gripping the seat so hard all of the sudden. I glanced to the speedometer and saw that was indeed going way over the speed limit, and if I hadn't been lost in my own thoughts I would have been gripping the seat because of that. "Uh, yeah I am. Ha-ha. You are going really fast. And my dad is the chief of police, so I'm used to going the speed limit everywhere."

"Oh my God, your dad is Chief Swan? I never made the connection between you and him!"

"Oooh! So did you get in some trouble with my dad when you were younger?"

"Ha-ha. I did once, but it was my brother's fault. I got to know chief from the many times he dragged my brother Emmett home. Emmett would always be getting into trouble. Fights with other guys, then when he would T-P and egg their house the next night, when he was a little younger he would go ding dong ditching, and then there were the other pranks, trespassing, he was caught with Rosalie at one of the make out spots once. There were many times that he got pulled home by the Chief, and so our whole family got to know him pretty well through the years."

"Now that you are saying this I can kind of remember my dad coming home some nights and complaining about some Emmett kid that was always getting in trouble!" I laughed.

"Are you serious? What a small world."

"What did Emmett make you do that caused you to get caught by my dad?"

"Well, you know how La Push was the biggest rival for the Forks football team? Well there was this one guy, Jacob Black, the La Push captain, where as Emmett was our captain. Jacob would always be getting in our face, and would be this cocky ass hole. He really got to our whole team, everyone hated him. Well during my and Emmett's senior year, he was a junior, and it was the annual La Push/Forks game. It was the biggest of the year. Well Jacob had been saying all this shit about how there was no way we could win over his players, and that they were the best football team La Push has ever had. And the team looked really menacing, all of the guys were super buff, their muscles were huge, and all of them were really tall, it was like they had all taken steroids over the summer or something.

"Well anyway, after talking all this crap we ended up getting three touchdowns plus the kick, getting us to twenty one to nothing in the first half. As we lined up after half time, Jacob was talking all this shit about how this was their plan and that they don't pull out all the tricks until the last half so that the opposing team thinks they are worse than they are, put out worse players and then they kick in and dominate. Well, little did they know we had put out our not as good players first half, knowing their strategy, as we had seen them use it at games against other cities.

"I had finally had enough of his crap talking us and so I started to dish some back about how bad they were doing. Jacob started to get more and more frustrated, he actually started to shake. And he ended up snapping on me and tackled me. I kneed him in the balls, which shouldn't have hurt because of the cup, but he obviously had gotten too big of a size for himself, even though he didn't look that big anyway. It ended up really hurting his balls and he was out for the next quarter because of it. The rest of our teams also started to fight, but it was broken up before anyone else was hurt, and we continued play.

We completely slaughtered La Push, and won with thirty five to nothing. After the game, we had to do that little league thing where you all go down each others line of players and shake hands, well as Jacob and I shook hands, tensely, and definitely seeing who could grip harder, I muttered to Jacob that their team spent too much time getting steroids instead of practicing, that talking all that shit and then completely being slaughtered isn't a good strategy. He growled at me, and then in a crackly voice said, 'We played our best. It isn't our fault you are like fricking pro or something.' And I literally saw a tear run down his cheek as his eyes filled with tears." Edward chuckled at his memory, "Yep, I made the tough 'wolf' as he always called himself, cry. Guess he was more of a puppy.

"Anyway, that night there was this big party at one of the player's house, his parents weren't home and there was even some booze. I had had a couple cups of beer or whatever it was that was being served. Some people started to play truth or dare and I got roped into it. When it was my turn Emmett dared me take some of those window markers and write cry baby and small dick and shit all over Jacob's car, his precious rabbit. Since, as you know, it is such a small town we knew where he lived, and it was around eleven o'clock, so I didn't think I would get caught, so I took the dare instead of chickening. I knew what Emmett did to chickeners and it is not pretty.

"So Emmett, Jasper, a couple of the football guys, and I drove down to La Push, they dropped me off at Jacob's house telling me they would be back in fifteen minutes to see my work and then leave. I took all the different colors and wrote cry baby in all caps across his windshield, and then I drew crying faces on the front windows. I wrote small dick on the rear window, and drew small dicks on the back windows. I wrote stuff in little letters around my pictures, like sore loser, get off the steroids, and stuff like that. I drew the pictures small around on the windshield and rear window. It was really quite a piece of art.

As I was sitting on the hood waiting for Emmett and the guys to come back for me, all of the sudden Jacob came running out screaming at me that he was calling the cops. I jumped off the hood and began to run away as fast as I could from the house, I ended up all the way down to First Beach, and practically collapsed on the sand. Apparently Jacob had recognized me and had run right after me, I heard his footsteps and opened my eyes to see him standing over me. I jumped to my feet and once I did he punched me in the face. I punched him back right in the jaw, and then jabbed him in the stomach. He punched the side of my head and then kicked my knees in so I fell to the ground. I hit my head, and then Jacob kicked me in the nose, breaking it. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Jacobs laughing face looming over me."

"Oh my God! Were you ok?"

"Oh yeah, but I'm not done, there's more. After I blacked out, Jacob took off all my clothes and left me in; well unfortunately I had had on whitey tighties that night because it is easier to play football in them rather than boxers. So he left me laying there in the freezing cold sand at eleven thirty at night in my underwear. I came to, as a police officer poured water on my face, he asked me what happened and I said that the last thing I remembered was Jacob punching me in the head and then kicking me in the nose. He had me sit up and that was when I realized I didn't have any clothes. The officer told me he had gotten a call from Jacob saying I had vandalized the rabbit, and that Jacob had said he saw me running towards First Beach. The police put me in the back of the car, but since I didn't fight he didn't handcuff me like I had seen happen to Emmett so many times.

"The La Push officer handed me off to the Chief at the border between Forks and La Push. Chief put cuffs on me, just to spite me and my brother. Keep in mind now that I was only in my underwear."

I couldn't help my thoughts wander to a picture of Edward just in his underwear. I had to shake my head to get that thought out of my head. _Bad Bella! Bad! _And then I realized that Charlie my father had seen the man that I think I might love in his underwear before I did. I couldn't help the blush that rose in my cheeks.

"Anyway, Chief drove me home and pushed my up to the front door, where my parents answered, of course worried as to where I was as Emmett had driven home when he didn't see me around Jacobs. Now, Emmett, the big douche bag, just stood in the foyer there behind my parents, and failed at trying to muffle his heavy laughter. In his defense, it probably was a funnyish sight to see, me standing with the chief on the front porch with blood covering my face and some of my chest from my nose, just in my underwear, and handcuffed. As you can imagine my parents weren't at all happy about what I did, and the condition I came home. My dad painfully reset my nose so it wasn't too crooked, and checked my head to make sure I didn't have a concussion. They apologized to Chief on my behalf, and I didn't get in trouble with the law, but boy I got it from my parents. Especially after I beat the shit out of Emmett because it was his idea and then he left me there."

"Ha-ha! I actually remember my dad telling me about that! Ha-ha! And my dad is best friends with Billy Black, so I was actually pretty good friends with Jacob, still am. Oh man he is going to get so much shit for crying at the end of that game! And no wonder he would never tell me what was written and drawn on his car! Charlie couldn't tell me, and I asked Jacob what was written on his car that could have been so bad but he would always just blush and look away and say that it was nothing of too much importance. I never understood how it was of 'no importance' when he told me that he chased the 'ass-hole' down to First Beach where he had 'kicked the douches ass' and then stole his clothes when he was knocked out. He was pretty damn proud of it, but I understand now, he was happy he could kick your ass after you kicked his on the field. I am surprised he was such a prick on the field though he was always so nice and cool to me. Oh, and the fact that he has a small dick? That is just disturbing as he pretty much loved me for the longest time. Nothing ever happened, which I think I might be a little happy about after this revelation now. Ooo, poor Nessie! But oh man, I can only imagine what my dad thought when he cuffed you as you were just standing there all beat up and just in your underwear. That would really suck to have that happen. Stupid Jake." I rambled, apparently the speech dam that holds back what I say has been broken. I think Edward breaks it whenever I am near him. I noticed Edward kind of grimace and his finger flex when I mentioned that Jake pretty much loved me. Weird. It's not like he has any reason to be mad some other guy liked me…

"Yeah… not one of my proudest moments."

"I can see that."

"We have been sitting here for a while, lets go inside and order! I am _starving_."

"Me too! I was too wrapped up in your incriminating story to actually realize my stomach felt like it was going to eat itself."

He told me to wait, that he would get my door, and so I waited for a second, gathering my purse off the floor as he jogged around the front of the car. He opened my door and then reached his hand out to me with a flourish to help me out of the low seat. I smiled at the tingles that still ran through my fingers whenever I touched him. He smiled that damn crooked smile back at me, and I was glad he was helping me out of the seat or else I was sure I wouldn't be able to get myself up on my now jelly like legs. We walked into the diner choosing a booth off to one corner that didn't have any people in the immediate surrounding booths, the best for talking about what embarrassing things you did while you were drunk.

We sat in complete silence, as we sat down on opposite sides of the booth, and then picked up the menus looking at the "on the griddle" section on the breakfast portion of the menu. They had several different options of pancakes you could have. Banana, chocolate chip, blueberry, cinnamon and brown sugar, strawberry, or just plain. I pondered the decision between chocolate chip and strawberry, and decided on the chocolate chip not feeling like being any bit healthy. And kill me if chocolate sounded really good right now. I put my menu back behind the condiment stand on the table, and stayed quiet as Edward was still deciding. I had just picked up my phone to awkwardly fiddle with it, thinking of how funny a story Edward's side of the Jacob incident was. Jacob _would_ take all of Edward's clothes off and leave him in his underwear on the beach. And I cannot believe that Jacob had a small dick! I mean he was so buff and strong, and huge that you would think that by proportion he would be big… But I guess not! Ha-ha! Oh man Jake would be hearing about this! I started to picture the look on Jake's face when I mentioned about how he cried and that his cup was too big because when Edward kneed him in the balls it actually hurt him really bad. Oh and how I now knew why he would never tell me that it was cry baby and small dick written and drawn all over his car. I had just gotten to the part where he started to splutter when I heard a big boisterous voice crash through the diner.

"Hey little brother!" I looked up to see a huge man standing at the end of our table smiling down at us. I recognized him from the family picture that had been in Edward's wallet. He was one of the brothers, that I knew.

"Hey Emmett." Edward said somewhat annoyed.

"Who is this pretty lady with you?"

"Oh this is Bella, I met her at the gym and she works at jewelry store. Bella this is my idiot brother Emmett." Edward quickly introduced us, glancing up at his brother meaningfully. What was that about?

"Hello Bella. It's nice to meet you." He pushed out his huge hand and I shook it with my own. His hand literally completely covered mine. Now, what I was not expecting was that Emmett pulled me up of the booth and gave me a huge hug. What the hell?

"Nice to meet you too, Emmett. Edward has told me quite a bit about you." I said once he released me from the hug. I sat back down into the booth, and I could see Edward shaking his head glaring at his brother.

"All good I hope?" Emmett chuckled and pushed Edward farther into the booth and sat down next to him.

"Actually Emmett, Bella is Chief Swan's daughter. And I had just told her about the Jacob incident. I also told her how well I knew the Chief from getting visits from him almost every weekend for years through our teenage years."

"Oooo, so you now know the bad stuff about me huh."

"Well, I don't know if it's all bad, my dad always came home chuckling after he had to drive you home in the cruiser. I heard about a few of your shenanigans from him, well only the best or I guess the worst of them."

"Wow, small world who would think that Chief's daughter would be Edward's new- What the hell man?"

Edward had just elbowed Emmett in the ribs hard and gave him a pointed glare. What the heck was with the eye talk between those two?

"Oh, oops! Heh heh." Emmett turned back to me and there was an awkward silence for a moment that Emmett broke by singing, "It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small world after all. It's a small small world!" Let me say that it wasn't that good, and was off tune. To the disappointment of my ears.

"Oh God, Emmett! Stop stop! You know that is the worst Disney song ever to be written!" Edward smacked him in the arm repeatedly while covering the ear closest to Emmett. I totally agreed with Edward's stand point on that evil song.

Emmett laughed boisterously and thankfully stopped singing.

"So what stories did Edward tell you about me?" Emmett turned to me.

"No specific stories, just that you would TP and egg, and ding dong ditch, and stuff like that. I do think I remember some stories that my dad came home chuckling about. He may have hated you, but he also always got a great laugh out of all your pranks. Like the time you egged the Newton's house, and wrote weenie on their front windows? Yeah, he loved that. He was laughing about it for days. We really didn't like the Newtons… Why else do you think he never actually arrested you?"

"I always wondered how after all the many times I got in trouble from him I was never arrested, even just from the combination of how many times I had been caught! That's awesome! Next time I see the Chief I will have to tell him 'your welcome' for keeping him entertained."

"I don't think that would end well for you though Emmett. Because then he will know you caught on, and would have to arrest you. I would recommend that you just let your upper hand here stay secret and use it to your advantage."

"I guess that makes sense. But damn I was hoping to push Chief's buttons some."

"Now, speaking of you and your teenage hood, well actually both of yours. How is it that you both are my age and have lived in Forks long before I did and I never saw you at school? I mean, it is such a small school; there is no way I could have not had a class with you, or at least heard about you. Especially since you both were star players on the football team; a team good enough to make Jake cry."

"Oh, we were home-schooled by our mom, Esme all through school. She thought that since we had such a messed up childhood with being adopted and all that, it would be a good thing to have a nice and strong home." Edward explained a warm expression on his face as he talked about his mom.

"Oh, that is so cool of her. You must be really close to Esme then."

"Yeah, she's the best." Emmett smiled.

"So Emmett, why are you here annoying us?"

"Oh, I'm just going to be meeting up with Rose here for lunch, she is on her way back from a shopping trip with Alice."

"So as soon as you saw us here you decided to annoy us as we waited?"

"Yep! Of course! What else would I do little brother?"

"I'm not your little brother Emmett! We are the same age!" Edward scowled at Emmett.

"When I say little I don't mean it by age. I mean it by size. Compared to me, you are a little brother." Emmett grinned cheekily, while Edward glowered at him. "Oh there's Rose! Hey Rosie!" I saw a gorgeous blonde walking across the diner towards us, well more like strutting. She was the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen. She was like a model, curves in all the right places, soft, but striking features, and shining, flowing golden blonde hair. She was perfect. I am surprised my mouth didn't hang open. I was surprised by the glare she was pointing at Emmett though as she walked over.

"You know I hate being called Rosie you idiot!" She hissed at him while smacking him upside the head. Edward snickered next to him.

"Shut up, you dick." Emmett backhanded Edward in the chest. He muttered an 'ouch' while rubbing his chest.

"I didn't do anything!" Edward punched Emmett in the arm.

"You were laughing at me!" Emmett pulled Edward's head down in a head lock and then gave him a noogie on the top of his head.

"Hey stop that!"

"What are you afraid your pretty hair will be ruined?"

"Shut up!"

"Never!"

"Sorry about them, they are always like this. Trust me." Rosalie turned to me and gave me a small smile. Before she turned to them with a glare and smacked the top of both their heads with a resounding smack.

"Ow! What the hell Rose?" Emmett barked as he let go of Edward and they both rubbed their heads.

"You have company that is not family here you imbeciles."

Both of their heads snapped towards me, and a blush rose on Edwards cheeks.

"Oops."

"Yeah oops, you idiots. Now Emmett lets leave these two alone and go and have our own lunch. I am sure you rudely interrupted them without asking. So let's go and sit over there. Yes Emmett?" Rosalie looked pointedly at Emmett then glanced between Edward and I. There is definitely something going on between his family members, with all these weird looks being exchanged between them.

Emmett nodded his head at Rosalie, "Yeah, of course. It was nice meeting you Bella!" He reached out his hand and I shook it, "I will leave you two to your breakfast." Emmett winked at us as he got up from the table. Edward punched his arm, glaring at him. But Emmett chuckled. Rosalie just shook her head at their antics, and pulled Emmett away to the other side of the diner.

"I am so sorry about him. I swear he hasn't matured much at all since he was like fourteen." Edward gave me a sheepish look that was so completely adorable I just wanted to kiss him.

"It's fine. He's funny. And it was nice to see your brotherly banter. I don't have any sisters or brothers so I never experienced any of that when I was a kid. I always wanted siblings, and was always jealous of my friend who had some no matter how much they said they hated them. I really wanted that bond that you can only have with a sibling, and that person that potentially would always be there for you. It would have been nice to have someone who was in the same boat as me who I could've talked to about it with. Plus, just the experiences of the banter and fighting and stuff. Anyway, it's really funny to see, and it's refreshing. I liked it."

"I know how it is for you to be an only child. I was an only child before I was adopted. I lived with only parent for a while too. I don't remember as much as I should, but I do know what you mean. I felt the same way about wanting siblings to get the experience and that bond with someone. But anyway, you should meet the rest of my family then. You will get years of sibling rivalry in one afternoon."

"It sounds very entertaining. If it's anything like what you and Emmett were just like, I think it would have to be. I would love to meet your family sometime."

"Oh, it is even worse when everyone is together. See, since we are all adopted we are all around the same age, Emmett, Rose and I are all the same, and Alice and Jasper are a year younger. So we are all really close, and always have been. But it just makes it that much worse when we fight, playful or otherwise. It may take them a while to be what we call 'normal' around you, but once they become comfortable, they will be themselves, and well, show you their worst." Edward used air quotes around the normal.

"I definitely will need to see that sometime."

"I would love you too. And I think all of them would love to meet you too. If you couldn't tell Emmett was." Edward smirked, before shooting a little glare over in the direction of where Emmett and Rose were sitting. "Sorry about his over-exuberance when he met you. He looks very intimidating, which he can be sometimes, but most of the time he is just a big teddy bear inside. He can get a little over-excited when he meets new people."

"Oh, it's fine! Don't worry about it! I was just surprised that's all."

Edward smiled his damn crooked smile that makes me melt.

The waitress finally decided to make an appearance which was convenient because my stomach had just growled very loudly in protest to its emptiness. "Hi, I'm Jessica and I will be your waitress. I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to get over here. It's pretty busy in here and we are understaffed today so I am doing everything except cook! What would you like to have today?" I almost growled when I heard her name and indeed recognized her as one of the people that tortured me in high school. Of course, Jessica only looked only at Edward, batting her eyelashes, and even went as far to licking her lips at him once. Edward didn't even seem to notice her obvious advances as he was looking the other way. I rolled my eyes, little skank.

I ordered my chocolate chip pancakes, with orange juice, in light of my breakfast for lunch shtick. Edward ordered the banana pancakes and some water. Jessica promised our food would be out as soon as possible, even going as far as laying her hand on Edward's shoulder as she did so. I was so close to smacking her hand away and telling her to fuck off. But I held it in. I did a mental fist pump when Edward awkwardly shrugged her hand off, by scooting farther towards the window. _Suck on that rejection! _She then rushed away, managing to sway her hips even at her pace, to put the order up and then go to Emmett and Rosalie's table.

"Oh my god. That was the same Jessica I went to high school with! Oh my gosh, she used to be such a skank and a bitch. I can't believe she only made it to be a diner waitress! Serves her right. She never was nice to me." I hissed quietly, to make sure she didn't hear.

"Actually now that you say that I think I remember her throwing herself at me after some of the football games and at some of the parties… Wow. Well Karma is a bitch and all that right? I can't believe anyone would not be nice to you though. What was her problem?"

Jessica came flitting over and placed down our drinks on the table, with a flirty, "Here you go!" as she placed down Edward's water. She lowered her voice trying to sound sexy and looked under her eyelashes at Edward as she exaggeratingly said, "Just let me know if there is anything else you need." As she said it she pushed out her lips to make them look round and full. She ran her tongue slowly over her top lip. I would love to give her the fat lips she apparently really wanted. She winked at Edward in what she thought was a sexy way and then walked away swaying her hips so much I was for sure she was going to knock over a table with her ass.

I snickered and turned back to Edward. _Jeez, she is such a slut! I can't believe she would go after Edward as he sits here with me! I mean for all she knows we could be on a date! And she doesn't even look at me, its only sex eyes at Edward. Well I mean, I am okay with her not looking at me, because she could recognize me, and then well I don't know what would happen but it wouldn't be good. But it's the principle of it! Ugh, she just drives me crazy! Stuid Bitch. _

"So on with what we were talking about before we were so disgustingly interrupted, what was her problem?" I was surprised to see him looking at me like he was really interested in me after Jessica was trying to be so sexy.

"Oh, it was no big deal. A lot of people were the same way to me. I got used to it." I looked down at my twisting hands in my lap. I started to think about all of those terrible years during high school, with Jessica, and Lauren, and then Tyler and Mike... the one person I had trusted, and thought truly liked me, actually ended up to be using me just to get laid. And I soon heard myself sniff. Shit, I was not going to cry about that shit. No, I was not going to do that again, and not in front of Edward.

As I tried to reign in my stupid sniffles, and stop from getting upset about all of that again. I suddenly felt Edward's long fingers pulling my chin up, and then brushing my hair away from my face so he could look at me. I didn't let my eyes turn to his, and instead looked out the window that was next to us.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Edward pulled my face too look at him and locked eyes with me. His eyes were sad and full of apology, "I shouldn't have pried. I'm sorry. I just can't believe people would make fun of someone as beautiful and nice and funny as you." My eyes that had started to fall back to my lap, snapped up to his that were full of honesty and warmth. "Don't look so surprised Bella! You are all of those things!" My cheeks did their thing and insta-blushed. "I can't believe that those people from high school could think any different, unless you got some kind of crazy plastic surgery since then."

I chuckled lightly at his joke. I took a deep breath and decided I would explain to him why I got so upset. "No, it's ok. Really. I shouldn't get this worked up about it so many years later. I used to be a really big nerd back in high school. Plus, I was the new girl from Phoenix, and in such a small town that pretty much puts you under the social microscope. I was really shy, and so I had thrown myself into my schoolwork, acing all the tests, projects, and worksheets. I even had the glasses to complete my nerd look. I was always early to class, and took studious notes. I was always a loner at my other school, but there it seemed that I could go by invisible, completely opposite to here at Forks High, everyone seemed to be interested in the new girl.

"Soon, people started to whisper 'nerd', and other rude names and comments about me behind my back. I would get sneers in the hallway, and no one would sit with me at lunch or include me in anything. I was like a social pariah. I wouldn't have wanted to be included anyway, but it was how they would go about it. People would purposefully raise their voices about the parties they were invited to that weekend around me and stuff like that. I got threatened by some girls to do their essays, which I never did, by principle, and that would just push me down farther. But, even with all this, Jessica and her best friend Lauren was the worst. It was constant with her. She would always insult my truck, and my clothes, and everything I did. If she saw me walking down the hallway she would ask me why I didn't have my face buried in a book, if she saw me in the bathroom she would purposefully splash water on my pants. She was just an overall bitch. I ended up getting used to being made fun of, and just lived through it. Ignoring everyone, and counting the days until I could get away and go to college." I saw Edward's fists clench, and he started to send acerbic glares at Jessica's head as she bopped around the diner. I was curious about his reaction but I decided to go on with my high school tale.

"In junior year Angela came to our school and she was nice to me, and we have been best friends ever since. Junior year was the same year that Mike Newton approached me. He began to be nice to me, and it was a nice change compared to what I had been getting before. He asked me out, and we ended up going out on dates, and I was finally somewhat and oddly included by Mike's friends, including Lauren and Jessica. It seemed surreal, but I was happy for the change, finally I got less sneers, and mean comments, and it was wonderful. Mike and I dated for a few months, and he was always really sweet to me, and I began to trust him. I ended up thinking I loved him, and I told him so one night when we went to the make out spot in his car. He told me he loved me too, and well we ended up… in the back of his car.

"I found him making out with Jessica outside of the school after class had ended the next day. As I had burst out screaming at Mike, Jessica had turned around and sneered at me, and explained how there was no way in hell Mike would ever like me, or any of them would, and the only reason Mike did that to me was because all of them had bet him fifty bucks that he couldn't last that long with me, and because he wanted to get laid. But I was a bad lay anyway, and that I was stupid for thinking a football player like Mike would want me." I wiped away a traitor tear that had begun to fall down my cheek.

"So I had just been a game to Mike as he really dated Jessica behind my back. I was such an idiot to actually think that he would like _me_. Charlie had known about Mike, and I hadn't told him about the night at the make out spot, but he knew he had cheated on me and how and what he did it for, and so he almost shot Mike with his shotgun. I had sadly talked him out of it. For my whole senior year, I just kept to myself as much as I possibly could, I asked all of my teachers to always let me do group projects by myself, so I wouldn't have to deal with anyone, unless I was able to partner with Angela. The teachers had seen over the years what the other kids would say to me, and would allow me to do it on my own. I would keep my head down and try to ignore the comments thrown at me, and not react. I would come home from school and cry in my room as I did my homework. I would go to school just before the first class started, and I would sit in the back of all of my classes so no one could whisper at me behind my back. I threw myself even more into my school work. By the end of my senior year most people finally gave up on torturing me and had gone to ignoring me as I did of them. I went off to the University of Washington with Angela in the fall, moved there as soon as I could in the summer to get away."

I took a deep breath, expelling all of the bad thoughts and feelings from my body. Well trying to anyway, and I was for the most part succeeding. I finally glanced up at Edward, nervous that after I had told him what a nerd I used to be that he would get up and leave. But instead what I saw surprised me. His eyes were full of anger and hatred and they kept glaring at Jessica, and I would have sworn if looks could kill she would be lying on the floor dead, with slashes on her chest like Edward had spewed out Sectumsempra. _Jeez Bella, you really need to get off the Harry Potter today! Let's retry that sentence. _Like Edward had cut her with his eyes. _Very good. That's better. No need for a nerdy Harry Potter refrence in the middle of your inner monologue. Anway, _Edward's fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white, and it looked like his fingers would push through his palm and come out the other side. He turned to look at my now bewildered and slightly frightened eyes. He looked so intimidating, and almost scary. Why did my story make him feel like this? He breathed in a rough deep breath through his nose, and closed his eyes for a second. His hands loosened a little bit, and when he opened his eyes instead of hatred I saw deep sorrow fill his eyes.

"Bella, I am so sorry that happened to you. No one deserves that. Especially you. I always thought Newton was an ass, but I never thought he would go that far. I remember him talking about some girl that he was using and he would laugh about her to some of the other douche bag players. I can't believe it was you. I never talked to Mike about it. I swear. I never had anything to do with that. I'm sorry I made you think about that. I can completely understand why you would get so upset over it. I can't believe people would be like that, especially to someone as sweet as you. I never had to experience much peer cruelty like that since I was home schooled, but it makes no difference to how bad I feel about it. I can realize now that Esme didn't put us in public school because she didn't want us to go through that with being adopted and all of that. But, if I had gone to the public school, I would have been different to you Bella. I just can't believe anyone would be so cruel to you."

I cut off his rant, pushing my hand into his still slightly fisted one and giving it a squeeze. "Edward it's fine now. I have Angela as my best friend, and she has always been there for me. What is in the past is in the past. There is no way to change it. I have mostly gotten over it, and I haven't actually gotten this worked up by it in probably a year. In the long run, I think it has made me a stronger person. I have just had problems with trusting people, and especially guys ever since, and have only rarely dated, but it never led to more than a few meaningless dates. It affected my life in a major way, but I have gone on with life."

"Bella, you are truly amazing. The fact you can just say that about such a terribly hard thing in your life is incredible. I know I don't think I could be that strong." He squeezed my hand that was still in his. And I of course blushed. _Do I even have to say I blushed anymore? I mean I think you can tell by now I blush at almost everything. _

I sniffed at his nice words, and breathed deeply again, not wanting to get choked up again. "Thank you. Oh, and seriously don't be rude to Jessica now, I really don't want to start anything with her. If you could just act like you were before, like you don't give a shit about her and her endless and obvious flirting."

"She was flirting with me before?"

"Um, _yeah_! How did you not see? She was completely obvious!"

"I wasn't paying attention to her…" Edward glanced away and out the window.

"Oh, here she comes." I quietly breathed the wicked witch of the west song from the Wizard of Oz under my breath, and Edward chuckled. "Stay calm. It's really no huge deal anymore."

"Alright, here's your pancakes." Jessica came over with our food on a tray that she placed on the table that is next to us. She bent down a little and stuck her big ass towards Edward, and then turned around, and carefully placed a plate in front of Edward. She bent down a little and pulled her arms in close to her sides, which gave Edward a nice view of her boobs that she had obviously pushed up in her bra, and then was squeezing together with her arms, oh and she unbuttoned one of the buttons of her shirt. She seemed to linger a second more than necessary, obviously trying to give him a good look. Slut. She spun back around towards the tray and then grabbed one of the syrups, and turned back around, but this time she stumbled a little, and some of the syrup sloshed up and out onto her finger a little bit.

"Oops!" She trilled, and then slowly brought her finger to her lips and then slowly licked the syrup off the side of her finger. All the while staring sexily at Edward. I snorted at her obvious slutiness and Edward looked up and her with a look of slight disgust on his face before it smoothed over as he looked down at his plate, obviously calming down his anger with her. The anger I still didn't understand why it was there. A gleam of slight mischief came into his eye and he fingered the side of his plate.

"Actually these are Bella's. You got the chocolate chip right Bella?" Edward slightly accented my name both times he said it and I understood what he was trying to do. So I couldn't help it as my foot, on its own accord of course, moved and kicked him in the shin somewhat hard. He slightly winced. But in the meantime, Jessica's eyes had moved over to me, and I could see as she looked me up and down with a look of disgust hidden behind her eyes.

"Bella Swan?" Her voice was thick with disdain.

That was it. I was done with her shit today. She can't just get away with eye-fucking, and flirting with the guy I am at lunch with. And then after all these years still look down on me in disdain? No. Just no. "Yes I am. But, why do you give a fuck Jessicunt- oops Jessica?"

Jessica glared at me, "Become a little feistier after high school I see? It's too bad you didn't find that voice before, or else maybe you wouldn't have let Mike walk all over you."

"Whoa, don't talk to my girlfriend like that." I glanced at Edward, confusion filling my eyes. He glanced back at me with wide eyes and squeezed my hand with a quick nod. He was telling me to play along. So I did.

I saw Jessica's eyes had widened a little and then shrunk down to slits, "Yeah right. Like a man like Edward would actually be interested in you. Are you fucking kidding me? I remember him from high school; he was one of the home schooled kids that had been the star on the football team. He would never be interested in you. Are you seriously going to be that stupid and walk into the same thing again Bella? And I always thought you were brainy. Apparently I was wrong. You are just plain stupid."

I glared back at her. Edward started to say something again, but I interrupted him, "Edward is my boyfriend. He actually likes me for who I am not the money pouring into his wallet for going out with me. We are in love. Right sweetheart?" I turned from Jessica, to give Edward a loving look, playing my part in taking her down.

"Of course Love. I love you so much." Edward's eyes bore into mine and were full of warmth and that same emotion I still can't pinpoint.

"You guys are full of bullshit. That was completely fake." Jessica cackled.

"I don't think you have much room to talk right now Jessicunt. From the way you have been eye-fucking Edward, and basically asking him to go out back with you for a quickie, I would say that you haven't had a boyfriend for a long time, or gotten laid for that matter. When did Mike kick your ass to the curb? As soon as you went off to college together and he realized what an air-headed bitch you are?" I took one look at her face, and knew I was right, "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I could have any guy I want! No one would choose you over me any day. Why would anyone want your nerdy ass?"

"There is no way in hell I would ever want a slutty bitch like you. And if you can't remember, you would constantly throw yourself at me before and after every football game. And did I ever agree to do anything with you? Hell no. I didn't want you then. And I especially don't want you now." Edward glared up at her.

"You are just saying that so you can get laid by her tonight. Are you blind? Why would you want Book Worm Bella over me?"

"Are you deaf? I like the good witch not the wicked witch of the west. Having a ranging personality is attractive, not just ranging bitchiness." Edward snipped back.

"Oh and Jessicunt? If you haven't noticed I am the manager of a store and make a nice living. Where as, well, you are a waitress at the local diner. And you are serving me. So we are the ones that are going to be putting down your tip… which right now is going down to be, hmmm I would say nothing. Just like your sex life. Oh and I wish you were more like the Wicked Witch of the East and a house would have fallen on you years ago. I would have celebrated just like the munchkins in munchkinland did."

She huffed, "You are such a weirdo. Did you really just make a Wizard of Oz reference as a comeback?"

"Jessicunt you can leave. Now. My pancakes are getting cold. And I would like to eat them. And right now I am your customer, so you listen to me. You leave Edward's pancakes on the table and you will be decent to us until we leave. Or else, well a short little call to my father, the chief of police, could have you locked up for customer abuse, oh and you could be fired. Oh wait, I think I will already be talking to your boss about you tonight. When I call him."

"You can't do that! You started it!"

"Oh I started it when you harassed me all those years ago and as soon as you heard my name your face looked even more disgusting than it already is? Well then. You can go ahead and call the police, do whatever you want. But since you can't understand what my father is the chief of police means, I will say it in easier words. Nothing will happen to me. Now leave us alone."

Jessica growled, but didn't say anything, as she turned around grabbed Edward's pancakes, slammed them down on the table along with his syrup. She stormed away picking up the try off the other table, but in doing so pushed all the condiments off the table, the salt and pepper shakers shattering and dumping their contents on the floor, and then the ketchup and mustard bottles, rolled and she ended up stepping on both squirting out the contents on the floor, along with the bottle of the syrup which opened and started to ooze out on the floor.

"Bravo." I muttered, but just loud enough so I knew she would hear me. Jessica let out a strangled scream and stomped off towards the back.

I sighed as soon as she was out of sight and slumped down into my seat. "Ugh." I then realized how deathly quiet it was in the diner. And looked around and saw everyone staring at me. A blush quickly rose to my cheeks, of course. And I looked back at Edward who was looking at me with wide eyes and a sense of awe. I bit my lip and smiled sheepishly at him.

I heard some slow loud clapping and looked over to see Emmett smiling jovially at me, amusement in his eyes. A couple other people I didn't know started to clap along with him and soon everyone except Edward was clapping for me. I blushed crazy red, I swear all the way down to my toes, and bit my lip trying to ignore that all the people in the diner were smiling at me. _Ok what the hell? I thought this only happened in movies? _

"Yeah Bella!" Emmett whooped from across the room and I looked over to see holding two thumbs up in my direction, and I smiled back at him shyly. Rosalie smiled nicely at me too. I then let what I just did sink in, and my eyes widened. _I can't believe you just did that. You stood up to Jessica. You called her your old secret nickname Angela made up – Jessicunt. You told her off and pretty much told her to fuck off. And oooh I am going to be calling her boss tonight._

I felt the wide grin slowly take over my face as I realized I had just completely gotten over my fear of her that I had felt since high school. "I can't believe I just did that." I said quietly.

Edward gave my hand a squeeze and smiled back at me, I could see a little bit of proud-ness in his eyes. "Good for you Bella. I know it took a lot for you to do that, to stand up for her, after all she did to you then. And after she said those things now."

Thankfully the applause quieted down pretty fast after that and the diner slowly became full of chatter again, but from the bits and pieces I heard it was all about what I had just done.

"Thanks for helping me with the whole girlfriend thing. Without that I wouldn't have had barely any leverage against her."

Edward's eyes looked slightly conflicted before he brought my hand up, and kissed it lightly on my knuckles. Tingles like fireworks burst from the spot where his lips touched my hand a ran all the way up my arm, "It was my pleasure." I felt his lips vibrate against my knuckles, and his breath fan across my fingers. I shuttered at the wonderful feeling.

He let go of my hand, and my head cleared slightly. I cleared my throat and looked down at my food, "Ok, well if I wasn't completely starving before, after that adrenaline rush, I believe my stomach has begun to eat itself for nourishment. We should eat our pancakes before they get cold too. Man I am glad that happened after we got our food or else I would definitely be worried that she spit in my food."

Edward chuckled as he agreed to me about eating, and we began to eat our lunches. Edward had been right; the Diner's pancakes were to die for. These pancakes were amazing, so soft, and just perfectly spongy; they soaked up the syrup, and had just enough chocolate chips to have two or three in every bite. In not so many words, these pancakes were perfect and heavenly. I couldn't help the moan that left my full mouth in delight. "Ungh, Mmm. Oh my god, you were so right, these pancakes are _amazing._"

I looked up to Edward and he seemed to be lost in space as he stared at me. But not at my eyes, they were focused somewhere just slightly farther down. _What?_ I swallowed and then licked my lips. "Edward? Something wrong?"

Edward shook him head looking somewhat startled. He stuttered, "Huh? What? Oh. No, nothing is wrong. Everything is fine."

"Um, ok."

"What were you saying?"

"Oh, I just said that you were right, these pancakes are amazing!"

"Oh I know, they are the best." Edward lowered his voice and put his hand up next to his face, "I will even admit they are better than Esme's pancakes."

"What is she a pancake prize winner or something?" I laughed.

"No," He chuckled, "But, as a kid, and before I came here, no ones pancakes could ever measure up to Esme's. Emmett and I gave her an award for the best pancakes the first Mothers Day we both had with her when we were ten or eleven. If she ever heard that I am cheating on her pancakes she would be very disappointed in me."

"Hey little brother! I can't believe you are cheating on Esme's pancakes! You disgust me." Emmett yelled from across the diner.

"Shut up! And Esme will never hear about this or I will tell her about how much you actually hate her special oatmeal, and think it tastes like dirt. Oh and then when she's not looking you used to pour it into the big vase in the middle of the table and then clean it out later. And then you would buy breakfast when we got to school, or on weekends sneak a whole box of granola bars up to your room. The mystery of the missing granola bars would be solved."

"You wouldn't."

"Yeah, I would. So shut up Emmett! Don't you dare tell Esme! Or else she will not only be deeply disappointed in one of us but she would deeply hurt by the fact that you have been lying to her through your whole life there."

Emmett just glared at Edward and then stuck his tongue out at him. "That's what I thought." He muttered and turned back to my hysterically laughing form. "What?"

"I just find you two hilarious to watch. By yourself you seem so mature and serious, but then when you're with him it's like you go back to being a kid again. And you two bicker like two little boys. It's just so funny to watch."

Edward blushed. "Are we really that bad?"

"Yeah! Did you not just hear yourselves?" I laughed harder, but sobered at his all of the sudden wary expression. I instantly wanted to put him at ease. "But, don't worry it's cute. It shows how close you guys are and how much you love each other."

He sighed and a beautiful smile graced his features. "I don't know, but I'm glad you think that. A lot of girls would find it unattractive and run from our family screaming many things including 'Freaks!'" Edward chuckled.

"Well, Tanya stuck around. So I guess it's not everyone." I said solemnly. Not happy with saying her name. But trying to relate to Edward.

"Yeah…." Edward trailed off, and looked down at his food, "I better start eating these, you should too; they are getting cold."

I saw Jessica quietly going around the diner, now almost shyly, her hips not moving as much. She had obviously been embarrassed with what happened earlier. Good. She silently came to clean up the huge mess she made with the salt, pepper, mustard, and ketchup. Edward and I grabbed each others hand, and talked only about meaningless shit, and adding in a ton of pet names. I could see the annoyed look all over her face the whole time.

After, she took a few new customers orders, filling drinks and bringing out the food that was up, including Emmett and Rosalie's. I peeked over towards their table as she was giving them their food and I could see Emmett shaking slightly, probably trying to hold in his laughter. I knew I was right when he started snickering out loud when Jessica went back into the kitchen.

Edward and I were silent as we ate, but it was comfortable silence. I felt no need to fill it with frivolous speech and just eat my lunch. I really liked this with Edward, other people and other guys that I was forced to go out with on a random date by Angela, would always feel the need to talk every second of the meal. And it drove me crazy. I don't tend to be very chatty, and I don't especially love to talk, I am always content to just sit in silence. But, usually with other people I feel awkward when I just sit there with nothing being said between us. The other person must feel it too because it then seems like they just flounder for stuff to say, and ask me about my life. Which I have never liked to just openly talk about. Until Edward. With him, the silence was comforting and totally ok. We had been talking but it was totally fine to just sit there and be. It made me like him even more.

As I ate, and sat, I thought over what we had been talking about. I realized that I had been talking so freely to him. I had just talked to him like any other person. I was proud of myself for getting over my complete nervousness around him. I then realized that I had agreed to meet his family sometime. Well that should be interesting. His family sounded great, really close, and really fun, and Esme sounded really nice. I am actually a little excited to get to meet them. With having no siblings you always envy those with siblings, even when they tell you their brothers or sisters are brats and they hate them, you still envy that bond they will always have. And I still felt that with Edward's siblings, especially knowing that they were always so close and still are. And at least from what I saw of Emmett and Rosalie they seem to be very friendly, welcoming and nice. I was excited to see them all together and how they would act.

I was soon done with my pancakes, to my disappointment; they were so good I didn't want to stop eating them. But, seeing as I was stuffed full, I knew I wouldn't have been able to eat anymore anyway. Edward finished soon after me, and we both pushed our plates to the edge of the table.

"Oh man, those were by far the best pancakes I have ever had. I loved them so much. After Jessicunt is fired I will definitely be coming here to get them very often. They are so filling too! I am stuffed!"

Edward chuckled at the face I made when I said how full I was, "Yeah, I come here almost every Saturday. I don't think I have seen Jessica here anytime I came here before, so either it was coincidence or she's new here. I have secretly loved these pancakes ever since I had them the first time I came here after I moved back into town."

"I still can't believe that I never saw you or your brother around town or anything. I mean, you were my same age, and were on the football team. I mean I know I barely ever went out, but I mean I would think that I would have seen you sometime. My dad and I used to come here to this diner when it was owned by the previous people. We would get dinner here once a week, Charlie called it my night off because I always did all the cooking."

"Ah, so that is how you became such a good cook!"

"Well, yeah that and the fact that my mom used to love to invent new recipes and they would always turn out terrible. So I had to learn pretty early my way around a kitchen or else I would have starved."

"I hope you don't mind me asking but, you call Chief by his first name instead of Dad. Why is that?"

"Well, my mom left my dad when I was around one year old. And I started visiting him in the summer when I was seven. But the summer visits only lasted until I was ten. And it was always awkward between Charlie and I, we were never too close, and we are both ones to hide our feelings, and not wear them on our sleeve like some people do. And whenever I was home in Phoenix my mom would call him Charlie, so I got into the habit. I call him Dad to his face, but Charlie behind his back. We are a lot closer now, and I probably would call him Dad, but well old habits die hard and all that."

"I can kind of see how Chief could be like that. But I can tell that you really love him."

"Yeah, I do," I nodded and smiled, "We are so alike in the way that we are both content with silence. For example, the dinner table was silent after the quick questions of 'how was your day? School?' and 'how was work?' Of course, on a rare occasion Charlie would have a story to tell me from what happened at the police station, but it was rare because nothing much ever did happen. Charlie would go back to work some after dinner, until around midnight. That's why he was always the one to catch Emmett. I would then hear those stories the next night at dinner. I always cooked, and did my laundry, and the housework in my free time. Charlie would work, and go fishing every Saturday in La Push. That's how I got to know Jacob. It was awkward at times between us, but we worked well together. I still visit him and bring him a home-cooked dinner once a week. And he manages on his own. He loves his job and spends a lot of time there, and with Billy Black. I worry about him, not eating well, and just how he is managing on his own. But, he survived before I lived with him in high school so I know he can now." I sighed, "Oh jeez. I just rambled a lot. Sorry to just keep going on like that."

"No no! It's fine! It was very interesting to see you talk about something that you obviously love so much. The look on your face and in your eyes, and the feeling of your voice, just showed how much you love him. It was nice to see."

"Oh, well still, sorry for rambling."

"Stop apologizing! It was cool to see you talking about something your passionate about. I will have to find other stuff you love so much just so I can see you talk about it."

I chuckled, "Ok, here's a hint, next time you want me to talk like that ask me about my job, why I do it."

"Oh really now… So why do you do your job at the jewelers then?"

"Not now! Ask me some other time. In a lull in conversation! Something like that! Some other time!"

Edward sighed, and shook his head pursing his lips. I could see he was just playing by the light dancing in his beautiful green eyes though. "Picky picky." He muttered, and then smiled brilliantly at me with a wink.

I couldn't help but giggle a little. This is what he had reduced me to. Giggling. He had mad skills with the dazzling.

He joined in on my giggles with laughs of his own, and we both ended up in hysterical laughter for no reason. We held our stomachs and gasped for breath as we laughed, and I am guessing we caught the attention of everyone in the restaurant. Again. But, in that moment I didn't care. It was like Edward and I were in our own personal bubble and we were completely carefree. It felt wonderful, to just let go and laugh crazily. We caught each others watery eye, and I couldn't let go of his gaze and look away. I could see the joyfulness flashing through his eyes, and his smile seemed to stretch from ear to ear. Not unlike my own giant grin. Our laughing slowly sobered, and we just sat there looking at each other. I studied his eyes and his face, and he seemed to study me. I couldn't get my lips to stop smiling, and apparently neither could he. It was odd though, from the jovial look gracing his features you would think that he was completely and blissfully happy. But I could see a calculating and cautious look in is eyes, the joyfulness now pushed back. I was entranced by his eyes and his face and no matter how much I told myself that I needed to look away I couldn't. All I could do was stare.

All of the sudden the mood seemed to switch between us and it seemed kind of heated but in a good way. And it felt like I just needed to touch him, my fingers were itching to touch him, and my lips tingled. Ok, so I wanted to kiss him. I really wanted to kiss him. But I couldn't let myself do that to Edward. But, more so I just felt this deep connection between us and I just wanted to touch him, in anyway possible. I was probably making it up in my romanticized mind.

I couldn't help but wonder if he felt it too. I was almost tapping my fingers I just wanted to reach my hand over and entwine it in his so much. But I can't overstep my boundaries, I can't put myself in that position with an engaged man. But, I want to so bad. My inner fight with myself was melted to nothing when I felt his fingers touch mine, and I could no longer contain myself, and threaded my fingers through his long ones. A breathtaking smile broke out on his face as I did so, and I couldn't help but return it.

As soon as his fingers had touched my hand I felt tingles, but nothing was like the feeling that ran through my hand and up my arm when our fingers had been intertwined. I had never just held a guys hand before. And sure it wasn't complete holding as only our fingers were touching, our palms against the table, but it felt great with Edward. My fingers just seemed to fit perfectly in his. We were still just looking at each other in silence. I don't even know why, but we were just looking, staring, watching each other. I memorized each detail of his face, even though I thought I already had, but there was still some that were so minute I wouldn't have found it possible to notice, but I did, and I memorized them.

I realized how close Edward and I had become as we stared, both of us having been slowly leaning more towards each other with each passing second. I just wanted to be as close as I could to him. Hug him. Just something, I needed contact.

"Ahem." I heard someone clear their throat haughtily, and both of our heads snapped up, and our moment together was ruined. The bubble that had been around us popped. Our hands remained together on the table though, that was good. I knew it had to happen sooner or later, but it was Jessica who interrupted us. Damn her. She placed our bill facedown on the table before walking away without an actual word.

I shook my head at her antics, "Well, I guess the old phrase, 'if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all', finally wormed its way into Jessica's thick head."

Edward chuckled, "Well at least she chose a right time to listen to it."

"Yeah, I guess, I am still going to be calling her boss though."

"She deserves what ever she gets."

"I agree."

Edward started to reach towards the check with his free hand. Yes, his other hand was still holding mine. And I liked it.

"Oh no you don't!" I swatted his hand away.

"Yes I am! Bella, it's no problem! I got it!"

"No! You paid for my groceries, I still have to pay you back for it. Let this count."

"No. I let you pay for the coffee afterwards as payback. I invited you out to lunch with me. I'm paying."

"That was so not all of my payback! Let me get this!"

"Do you really want to go up to the register and have to deal with Jessica again?" Edward looked at me with his eyebrows raised.

"She's behaving herself now so I don't really care. Actually if she wants to pick another fight with me bring it on. Actually I want to see what she's going to do."

"Bella. Just let me get this. Really, it's no big deal! I will get the bill, and you can get the tip if that will make you happy."

"I would agree to that if that wasn't a trick offer, seeing as you know I am not leaving her a tip."

"Ah darn. You're onto me!" Edward looked exasperated, but how his eyes were sparkling told me the opposite.

"Yes I am. So let me get the bill! Seriously. I want to test her and see what will happen!"

"Ugh, fine. But, then you have to let me buy you the next two things we eat together, no matter what it is."

"Whatever Edward. We will see. But I am getting this in the meantime." I grabbed the ticket off the table and grabbed my wallet out of my purse, unfortunately having to let go of Edward's hand. I felt my happiness droop a little at our loss of contact. I looked up at Edward's eyes, they were still happy, but they seemed to have dimmed also. Probably because he was annoyed with me for making him let me pay.

I got up and went to the register and stood there waiting and waiting for Jessicunt to come over and ring me up. Finally she sauntered over, a bored look on her face. I silently handed her my ticket, and she glanced at it before ringing up the total.

"Sixteen dollars, and sixty-nine cents." She repeated to me the price, in a dull tone. I began to slowly pick through the money in my wallet for the exact change. Slowly pulling out the ten, five, and one dollar bills, and then unzipped my change pocket and slowly dug around to find the two quarters, a dime, and then to smite her nine pennies. I handed her the cash and then dropped the coins into her open palm, but I made sure to make some drop to the floor, so she would then have to bend down and pick it up.

"Oops." I said quietly in a high tone. I was hoping she got the message that I was being sarcastic.

"Why Edward would want a girl like you I will never understand." She muttered as she dropped the coins in there spots in the register one by one.

"Why you would think Edward would ever want a slut like you blows my mind." I muttered back.

"I wouldn't call me the slut now Blundering Blushing Bella. You would have to be paying him to make him be with you."

"Oh, and you can tell I do that from personal experience I'm guessing? I can't see why a man would want to be with a slutty, fake, air head, waitress like you." Our voices were starting to become a little louder.

"That doesn't matter." She said quickly, in a clipped tone, glancing away, "I was saying it because no man in their right mind would want to be with a clumsy, booky, ugly, nerd like you."

"Are you saying I am not a man then?" I heard Edward say from behind me, he reached forward and took my hand and gave it a squeeze, I was grateful to know he was there. "Because I would pick Bella over you in a heartbeat any day, anytime. Bella is the most beautiful, smart, witty, and clumsy girl I know. You may take the clumsiness as embarrassing but really, it's cute, because no one is perfect. And a man would have to be insane to not want to help her up after she has fallen. And the blush that ensues on her cheeks when she is embarrassed from her fall is adorable." Edward wrapped his arms around my waist from behind me, and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "All I see you as is some girl who's self-centered, egotistical, and ostentatious ways have made her an ugly and desperate whore. Oh since I know you are wondering, egotistical means you are vain and selfish, and ostentatious means overly showy."

"She so is paying you. I can't believe that goody-two-shoes, nerdy, geeky, Dorkella is now paying a man to be her boyfriend. Because as I said before there is just no way that a sexy man like you Edward, could ever be that attracted to and that complimentary of a girl like _her_. It's not like you are with her because she's a good lay. Mike said she was terrible. So it's not like she's keeping you with sex. It has to be money."

"You can keep making excuses about why Edward would want to be with me. But all it is doing is showing me more and more how pathetic your life is. That you have to make excuses as to why the high school nerd can get more and better guys than you can. Oh, and by the way almost knocking down tables because your fat ass is swaying so much when you walk is not attractive, none the less sexy."

"You wouldn't know the first thing about what guys like."

"Really now I wouldn't. Well how else do you think I got Edward here?"

"Online. Rent-an-escort. Com."

"And you would know about that website how…? Oh and I definitely needed an escort to the local diner to get pancakes. Right. Whatever you want to think in that ugly fat head of yours. Oh wait, I forgot you don't have the mental capacity to think. Sorry."

"If you are really going out with him kiss him."

"Are you serious Jessica? Are you really going to resort to that?" But, secretly in my mind, I really did want to kiss Edward, and I really wanted her to force us to kiss.

"Yes I am serious. Kiss. If you are really going out then that should be no problem at all."

"Ok fine. Whatever I will play your elementary game." I turned around in Edward's arms and gave him a look like to make it quick.

I put my hands onto his shoulders and moved to my tippy toes to get level with him, and then I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and moved my lips towards his. As soon as my lips touched his it was like an explosion of fireworks blasted from his lips into my body and all the way down to the tips of my fingers and toes. I had meant it to be a short chaste kiss, but I couldn't seem to be able to get my head to move away from his. I couldn't seem to regret this fact either. I loved the feeling of his warm mouth against mine, our lips seemed to mold perfectly to each others. Plus, I knew the longer we kissed the more convincing it would be.

The kiss felt wonderful. I felt his arms tighten around my waist, and pull me flush against his chest. The whole world seemed to melt away around me. He tilted his head to the side and began to move his mouth against mine more fervently. I quickly followed along. My fingers, under their own accord moved up from his shoulders and tangled in his soft hair. Our mouths moved together as one, and I reveled in the wonderful feeling running from my head to my toes like an electrical current.

I was pulled out of my mind again as I heard a loud gruff coughing from behind Edward somewhere and my mind came back to the diner. I realized there was probably twenty people sitting in here watching us right now and I pulled away gasping for breath. My hands pulled down from his hair and lay on his chest that was moving up and down quickly in sync with mine. I had been looking down at my hands, but I made myself look into his eyes. I needed to see how he felt after that most amazing kiss. I could see happiness swimming there, and something darker, more primal like want in his eyes too. But, it couldn't be want for me, he was engaged to Tanya, it must be something else. There was also one other thing I couldn't recognize. All of those emotions plus some others all put together and his eyes were intense. They bore down on mine, and seemed to smolder. It felt like my insides were melting and turning to goo, and he could see all the way down to my soul.

"Here's your receipt." I heard Jessicunt mumble from behind me, and I pulled away from Edward's eyes as I turned around in his arms. I smirked triumphantly at Jessica's defeated look and stepped forward out of Edward's arms, sadly, to snag the receipt. When I started to walk back towards the booth and Edward didn't follow, I grabbed his hand, and pulled him behind me. I grabbed my purse, and shoved my wallet in, and then slung it over my shoulder. Edward seemed to have gotten out of whatever daze he was in and smiled down at me as I gestured towards the door.

"Hey guys! Don't leave yet! We are just going to pay and then leave right behind you! Just wait a minute!" Emmett said loudly from their booth, as he and Rosalie scooted out of it.

"Ok Emmett. We will be in parking lot." Edward answered him, and then held the door open for me.

As soon as the door shut I burst out laughing, "Oh my gosh did you see her face? It was so sad and defeated! Wow. That was good! Thank you so much for doing that, and saying all those things about me to her. I couldn't have defeated Jessicunt without you." I smiled happily up at him, triumphant for finally facing my fear and defeating it.

"It was no problem at all. I was telling her the truth about you anyway, so it wasn't like it was hard or anything."

Cue blush. "Well thank you for everything."

"It's my pleasure." Edward entwined his hand in mine, and the tingles shot up. I looked up confused to see what he was doing though holding my hand.

"To keep the act up in front of Jessica, she can still see out the window." Edward quickly said, seeming slightly put out, and wary of his answer. I don't know why though. It was the truth.

Emmett then bounded out of the diner, Rosalie behind him. "Bella, I have to say. You rock. You will fit in with out family well. What you did to Jessica in there? Priceless. Completely epic. Classic! You seemed to shy and quiet before… and then BAM! You totally ripped her a new one. Wow. I just had to tell you how _awesome_ that was. Both times."

"I hate her too." Rosalie piped up, "You have no idea how much I have wanted to do what you just did. And for so long. Whenever Emmett and I go there and she's the waitress she would always flirt with Emmett. Even after the time I flashed her my wedding ring, and I know she saw it, because her eyes widened to the size of the dinner plates at the diamond. She is such a slut, and I am so glad she was put in her place. And will not be working there anymore after that."

"Thank you guys." I blushed. "I really don't know where it came from. I was always afraid of her in high school. And I have always hated her, but whenever I became face to face with her I could never stand up for myself. Until now. I have to say it feels really good."

"I love that feeling. When you put someone in their place. Like the time with Mike Newton-" I could see Edward waving at Emmett to stop, Emmett looked confused for a moment but shrugged his shoulders and changed the subject. "Oh well I won't go into it now. I will let you two love birds get on with your afternoon."

"Oh, Emmett, you know that kiss and everything was fake. In reality I am almost as pathetic as Jessicunt said I was. I haven't really dated anyone since high school… since Mike Newton… who was a complete dick. I haven't gone as far as to well, pay someone to date me, as she said. But, I _am_ a lonely pathetic nerd like she says. Edward and I were just acting. And the kiss was just to give her what she wanted and to show her she was wrong."

"Right. _Sure_ it was. You are so not just friends."

"It was all fake! We are just friends," I found it hard to say the word friend, wanting so much more than that with Edward. I muttered, "And it's all it will ever be able to be."

"Right. Well anyway, we will see you around I guess. See you at the next family dinner Edward!" Emmett clapped Edward on the back and then gave me a hug. Which even the second time I was still surprised. I mumbled goodbye to Emmett as he crushed my bones in his hug and then waved to Rosalie once he set me down, saying goodbye to her as well.

I turned back to Edward and he seemed to be somewhat crestfallen. I couldn't imagine why. He walked over to the passenger door of the Volvo, "I'll drive you back to work."

I nodded and walked around him, and then plopped down into the seat as he held the door open. He shut it once my legs were in and then jogged around to the other side to get into his seat. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed back towards the jewelers. I looked at the clock and I was shocked to see two thirty on the clock. "Holy crap, I can't believe it's two thirty! I didn't think we had been there that long! I guess time flies when you're having fun and all that stuff right?"

"Yeah," Edward agreed his voice low and a little sad. His eyes were focused on the road, so I couldn't be sure if he was sad or not.

"I just realized, the whole point of this lunch was so I could find out what happened last night. But instead it seems like we talked about everything but that."

"It looks like we will have to talk about it some other time then."

"Hmmm, do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"

"Ummm, nope. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero."

"The jewelry store is always slow on Mondays, so how would you like to come and hang out with me at the store. Someone only rarely comes in, and I am usually bored out of my mind while doing the bookkeeping I have to do. So I could definitely use some company if you want to!"

"That sounds great to me! All I would do at home is sit on my butt and watch TV anyways. So I would much rather sit at the store and be able to talk to you."

"Sounds like a plan then. And maybe I will finally be able to actually get to asking you about last night."

"Yeah. Maybe."

We were silent for the rest of the ride back to the store, and once we got there I popped out of the car and headed to the front of the store.

"I would've gotten your door for you." Edward said as he stepped out of his side.

"I know. But, I am fully capable to open my own car door. And well, the store has been closed for an hour longer than I said it would be."

"I like getting your door for you. And it's the gentlemanly thing to do."

"I'm not saying that I don't like it. I just don't need it all the time."

"Ok, I will just have to try harder to get to your door before you can open it." Edward smirked sexily down at me, now standing next to me.

"Oh no…So the car isn't going to be fully stopped and you are already going to be jumping out and sprinting over to my door?"

"Well I don't think I would go that far…"

"Phew. I really didn't want to have to clean up an Edward splat on the ground when you ran in front of the car before it stopped and then got run over." I looked over at him a teasing smirk on my lips.

"Oh so you are assuming I would be as stupid to run in front of the car when I didn't even wait for it to stop moving? Of course I would go around the back. But anyway that's the only thing you are worried about when I get run over? The mess it makes?"

"No. That is a very small thing I would worry about." I turned my head down to the keys I still had, finally finding the store key and shoving it into the door unlocking it and heading inside. I took down the lunch sign and hung the open sign as Edward made his way in.

"So, my office is back there as you know. Since I spent so much time at lunch I do have to work on the books, but we can talk while I do it, they don't take too much concentration." I said as I walked behind the counter, "I don't have any extra chairs in my office so take one of those folding chairs there and bring it in." I gestured to the two folding chairs sitting by the wall and fan. "You can come out here and look at the stuff, but you have already seen the rings, and you probably wouldn't be interested in earrings, necklaces, or bracelets. But, you could see something for Tanya or something. Whatever you want to do! Other than that make yourself at home!"

I turned around in my office doorway and Edward was looking at me with a weird look, it was a combination of confusion and wonder. "Um… Ok" He muttered his eyebrows still pinched together as he turned towards the chairs to go grab one.

I shrugged my shoulders to myself and turned into my office, I hung the to lunch sign on a hook by the door, and then walked over to my desk. I sat down in my computer chair and then dropped my keys into my purse, and shoved that in the cabinet under my desk. I pushed the button on the modem of the computer to turn it on before turning on the monitor. I heard it humming to life, and then turned away from it as Edward came in with his chair.

"You can sit anywhere you want to. Next to me here, over by the window, doesn't matter. Wherever you are comfortable."

"Next to you sounds great to me." I blushed and looked away. I peeked up to look at Edward. His warm eyes looked down at me as he smiled. I was getting lost in his eyes and realized that I was getting too wrapped up in him and I had to work. Maybe inviting him here wasn't a good idea. I took a quick breath and snapped my eyes away from him pulling my chair to turn towards the computer screen.

"Is here good? Or too close?" Edward asked after he placed his chair a foot and a half from mine.

"It's fine there." I looked up to him looking down at me almost a look of apprehension in his eyes. They softened to a warm glow again after my words, and I smiled at him. He smiled back at me a winning teeth showing grin, and I couldn't help but swoon a little. "I love it when you're close." _Whoa now! Where did that confidence come from! Certainly not my mouth! _I blushed at my lack of filter and my random confident comment. I looked away from him and I heard him chuckle at my reaction. I heard his chair move a little, and when I peaked out of the corner of my eye I saw it was now a little closer to me. I couldn't help the smile that crossed my lips knowing he wanted to be closer to me. _Shut up Bella! He's engaged! He doesn't like you like that! You are just friends! Nothing more! He wants to be close to you because you are really good friends now! _

Edward sat down into the chair, with a little sigh once he was down. I noticed the log in screen had come up on the computer so I quickly logged in, typing fast so Edward would hopefully on the off chance he could normally, not see what I typed. I did not want him to see just how pathetic I was that even my password on my computer stated I was single.

"So is this all you do all day? The books?"

"Well I am the manager, but with such a small store there really isn't much for me to do as that job, so I handle the books, I do the payroll, inventory, and if I hear the bell on the door out there I go out and sell. Angela usually does the selling and helps me with the inventory. But she's not here so I am handling the whole store."

"Oh man. That sounds like a lot of work. That must really suck."

"Yeah, we don't get too much business though, especially on Monday and Tuesdays. So really I can handle it no problem. And I don't mind the solitude too much. I'm a loner, as I said before at the diner. So I don't mind the quiet shop on my own. It just means I can't slack off as much… Like I have all day today."

"You know, if you don't want me to hang around here I can leave-"

"Oh no no! I invited you here remember? I never said I didn't like company. I just don't mind it when I don't have it."

"Oh ok good. I'm sorry for keeping you so long at lunch. You're probably pretty behind today."

"Oh I would be majorly behind for the day no matter what. I couldn't focus that well this morning. I kept thinking about last night and y-" I caught myself from saying you. _Phew, that was close. You idiot. _"And just wondering what happened."

"Well I can answer any of your questions."

"Good. But, let me get into my work before we start talking about that stuff. I can start talking about it once I get into a rhythm with the books."

"Ok."

"As I'm getting started you could talk, or you could borrow any of the books off my shelf if you are interested."

"Ooo, books. I love to read. What do you got?" Edward said getting up and wandering over to my bookcase as I opened all the programs I would need to use. "You have a pretty nice selection here. I have read most of them. I love the classics also."

"Oh really? What's your favorite?"

"I don't really have one, the classics are the classics. I could never choose, I like them all for different reasons. But I would have to say some of Shakespeare's work I am a little fonder of. What about you do you have a favorite?"

"Romeo and Juliet. I know that sounds really cheesy, but I am a romantic and well Romeo and Juliet is the all-time love story. There is just something about their undying love for each other even though they are forbidden by their families to even see each other, they still find a way. And how they fight through it just so they can be together. But then they are idiots and both of them kill themselves. I never liked that part. But the principle of their love has always intrigued me. And I always wondered if it were possible to have a love like Romeo and Juliet in the real world, that for one you would kill yourself because your life didn't have the other. But the love at first sight and that you could love someone so completely in such a short time, that the love hits you so fast and you just know that you love them. You get lost in the other persons deep eyes and just don't want to look away. You feel like you are going to melt from their smile, but when you see them smile, you have to smile back. You feel like you just need to touch them, hold them, and if you do, you feel sparks and tingles all over. But, when you are apart you feel like part of you went with them." I went on wistfully, I couldn't help but start to think of Edward when I talked about Romeo and Juliet. And I started to go on and on with how I felt around him. I realized what I was doing and shut my mouth before I could say something like 'how I feel with you'.

"Have you ever felt that way about someone?" Edward murmured in my ear. I shivered as I felt his hot breath fan across my cheek. I hadn't heard him walk up behind me. I felt paralyzed, my body and mind. _What should I tell him? The truth and say yes? Or do I lie and say no? It's not like he would know who I felt that way about so I should just tell him the truth. Now to get my lips to work… Nope. Not going to happen. Especially with him that close. _I nodded my head a little stiffly and was able to mumble an 'uh-huh once'. He chuckled quietly and then pulled away from my ear. I was able to breathe again. He sat down in his chair.

"Have you ever felt that way?" I timidly asked. Where was my confidence coming from? How was I able to ask him that?

"I'm not sure. I think I actually might." I could see Edward staring at me with an intense look, out of the corner of my eye. I wonder what that was about?

My heart sunk a little. It must be Tanya. That means they were meant for each other. Well that screws my chance. But, why do I feel this way for Edward then? If it's love at first sight, I would think that it would have to be mutual.

I pulled out the papers I would need for my work, including the large stack of receipts, plus a few return slips. I laid them out across the desk in the order I always did. I started in on the first receipt and checked the item off in the inventory before putting it into the books.

"So, you are a piano player. You must get a lot of wedding jobs too." I asked, as I started on the second receipt.

"Yeah, I get a lot of weddings. Those and other adult events or parties like woman's tea parties and stuff like that are what I get most."

"Is there a certain event that you prefer to do over the rest?"

"I like the weddings the best. It is so cool to hear how the couples met and fell in love. And then to see the love between them as they come together at the alter. But I have to say my favorite part of the ceremony is when everyone turns to watch the bride walk up the aisle, and I watch the groom. His face says it all. How much he truly loves his bride, how extremely happy he is and how perfect they are for each other." Edward was looking away wistfully as he explained that moment and I could feel myself just falling for him more. That was my favorite moment in a wedding too, and I never thought anyone else really noticed it. Edward sighed and turned back to me, "Anyway. I love the weddings because I get to see those moments, but I get to hear their awesome stories. And I love that. Plus weddings are pretty standard music so the playing is easy, and I really will only play during the ceremony and maybe once or twice during the reception for the special dances. And I get to stay for the reception dinner which is delicious most of the time. And it is just fun to see everything that happens at a wedding."

"I love weddings too. I have never heard a guy talk like that about one though." I realized how that could have been taken in a bad way when I saw an uncomfortable look on his face, "Oh no! It's good! It's nice to hear. Different. I love it." Whoa I need to invest in a new talk filter.

Edward's face lit up in a smile, "Phew, you scared me. I thought it could scare you away when I showed what a sap I am."

"No! Emotion is good in a guy. Guys that don't show their emotions are a turn off. Like Mike is a heartless bastard, and well no one does or should like him. Except Jessica of course, but she's a heartless bitch so their perfect for each other."

Edward laughed, and I grinned as the musical sound hit my ears. I was still working through the inventory and books, doing them at the same time so I didn't have to go through the receipts twice.

"So now that I have gotten the rhythm with these receipts we should talk about what happened last night."

"Yeah, we should. What do you remember?" Edward's voice was laced with curiosity, and almost hopefulness…?

"Well I remember leaving the hospital and asking you to get drinks with me. We got to the bar and I remember taking six shots. Then three more that you had ordered, and then I ordered a rum and coke. Beyond that nothing. I woke up this morning with a really bad hangover, aspirin and water on my nightstand, the newspaper on my counter, and the best coffee I have ever had waiting for me in the pot. I was hoping you could enlighten me on who did that. I have been wondering all day if I had a one night stand, by the stuff in my room, but then when I saw the coffee I was almost convinced that there was some creepy rapist in my house." I decided to go out on a limb and tell him a half truth, "And I really like this guy right now, so I would really hate myself if I did have a one night stand with some mystery man."

When I glanced over at Edward he was looking down at his hands wringing in his lap. He seemed to be deep in thought about something.

"So do you want to just start at the beginning and tell me what happened?" I prompted him.

He sighed, a sad expression hidden by the happier expression he forced. "Yeah, that sounds good."

I wonder what was making him sad? "What did I say? You look sad…"

His head snapped up and our eyes met. I couldn't look away. He sighed once again and opened and closed his mouth, like he wanted to say something but nothing came out. I waited for him to tell me. A curious look on my face, my eyes worried for what could upset him like that. He finally spoke, "It's… nothing. Really. I'm fine."

I looked back to my work deciding that I wouldn't push him. If he didn't want to tell me he didn't have to tell me.

"So let's see… What happened after you took that ninth shot? Actually I have a quick question for you. You mentioned that you hadn't drank that much since your last breakup… But, from what you had been saying today it sounded like you hadn't had a boyfriend since Mike."

"Oh, that. Well I had dated a couple losers after Mike, but they really only lasted a few lame dates. There was this one guy that seemed to be ok, and I was starting to like a little bit, but after our third date he never called, even though he seemed to like me. It hurt, and well Angela took me to get drinks to get me out of my funk of another rejection."

"Oh, ok." Edward's eyes seemed to brighten a little at my answer. "Ok back to last night. So after you got your rum and coke you pretty much chugged it. We talked, but you giggled at pretty much everything I said. Um… well after that you went up onto the stage and sung karaoke. I would have to say it was pretty bad too."

"Oh my gosh. I did not. I did not go up there and sing karaoke." I slapped my hands to my now burning cheeks, "Oh my gosh I am mortified."

"You seemed to have a lot of fun with it last night." Edward chuckled.

"Oh jeez. What happened after that?"

"Well you ordered three more shots and another rum and coke."

"Holy shit! I drank like insane amounts of alcohol! How did I not get like alcohol poisoning or something?"

"I was wondering the same thing the whole night. But you were lucky I guess."

"Yeah…I guess… first time ever I have really been lucky."

Edward chuckled, "Well after that I could barely understand your sentences but when I mentioned how intense the hospital was you went on about how you didn't want kids anymore after you saw that." Edward looked down to his fingers that he was picking in his lap. Obviously he felt differently on wanting kids.

"Oh jeez, you really shouldn't listen to me. I have always wanted kids. After I am settled down and married of course. I can't believe I said that. I was just telling Angela like two weeks ago what a gift a child was and that the pain was worth it. I mean that experience was scarring but not to change my views on having kids…"

"I feel the same way about having kids." Edward said quietly and smiled at me.

I grinned back at him before turning back to my work, "Ok so what next?"

"Let's see… Oh yeah!" Edward laughed at his memory.

"Oh no…" I muttered.

"You said and I quote, 'Do you know how sexy you are?'"

"Oh no! Oh my god. I so didn't. You have got to be kidding me."

"Nope. I am dead serious. You did." He cracked up laughing.

"Oh my god." I was mortified. I can't believe I said that.

"Oh and then when you realized you said it you looked towards the napkin holder…And you- and you-" Edward couldn't continue speaking he was laughing so hard. _Oh jeez Bella now what did you do? If everything else wasn't enough. _

Edward finally controlled his laughter, "You well… You began talking to the napkin holder…. You told me after that it wasn't a napkin holder but a little girl. You asked 'her' why she were laughing… And then if she thought I was hot. You said something about how they must be flabbergasted by my 'smexy features'" He used air quotes, "Then you said something about how you used to feel the same way but you now are able to talk to me normally…?"

"Holy shit. I can never drink that much. Ever again."

"After that I decided you needed to go home, which you protested because you had to find the little girl who never answered your questions about me, and because you were having so much fun. On the way to the car you randomly sang 8765309 loud and terrible. You almost face planted to the cement in front of your apartment door. And when I caught you and pulled you away you yelled at me for taking you away from the 'pretty colors'." He chuckled again, as the pieces of the puzzle started to fall in place. But, Edward wouldn't have stayed the night with me. He has Tanya.

"I took you inside your apartment, and then laid you on your couch. As soon as you settled in, you immediately got up and stumbled to the bathroom muttering about the pretty colors again. And then you threw up for a good ten minutes into your toilet. I held your hair the entire time. You passed out against your cabinets in your bathroom, and so I carried you to your bed. I took off your shoes and put them by your door. Before leaving I came back over and told you I was going to go. But, you grabbed me and asked me to stay."

_I asked him to stay? What? I can't believe I did that… But he would have had to say no. He had to get home to Tanya._ "W-w-what did you do?" I asked turning to him to see what his reaction is.

His demeanor seemed to change from his happy laughing and open attitude before to something like awkwardness and kind of like he was hiding something as he began to talk again. "Um, well I laid down in bed with you, totally chaste don't worry. I waited the few minutes for you to fall asleep, and then I left. I kept your keys, and then locked up your apartment as I left. I knew that with all that ridiculous amount alcohol you drank you would not be getting up before I had to, because I had a small event that I had to do this morning. I got up a little earlier and I came back down to your apartment. I put the water and aspirin on your nightstand, and I made the coffee in the pot, and I got your paper on my way in."

"So you did everything? The coffee, the shoes, the aspirin, the paper, and my purse?"

"Yup." He smiled.

"Oh my gosh. Thank you so so so much! And that coffee? Best I have _ever _had. You have to teach me how to make it! It was amazing!"

Edward chuckled "It's Esme's recipe for it. She's very protective of her coffee recipe. I am afraid that I just can't tell you. But, I will make it for you anytime."

I scowled at Edward's smile, and then an idea popped into my head. I stuck out my bottom lip, and turned my head down to look at him through my blinking eyelashes. I gave him an overly-dramatic pleading look, "You could make an exception for your oh so bestest friend couldn't you?" I made sure my voice was high and innocent.

Edward cracked up laughing at my look, "Nope. Sorry. No can do. Esme would have my ass for telling anyone her special coffee recipe."

"Ugh. Fine. I am just going to have to make you a key for my apartment so you can make it for me every morning." I sighed and rolled my eyes sarcastically. And then smiled cheekily at Edward.

He chuckled, and then he perked up, remembering something, "Oh, I'm guessing you didn't realize it, but you had left your truck over at the coffee shop when we went to the hospital. I picked it up on the tail end of my run this morning and drove it back over to your spot."

"Oh my gosh. You are truly the most amazing person ever. I can't believe you did that! You so did not have to do that."

"It was really no problem. I got to run the same distance and get a coffee in one easy loop. It was really no biggy. And I knew that it would bring down your already lousy morning from your hangover if you were late to work because you had to wait for a cab to come to your apartment."

"Well thank you so much. You have no idea how much I appreciate all you did for me last night and this morning."

"It was my pleasure to help you out. Sorry I didn't leave you a note and led you to believe you either had a one night stand or a rapist running around your house. I thought even though you had had that much to drink you would have remembered me being there…" Edward turned away from me to look out the office door into the store a slightly sad look in his eyes.

"You should not be apologizing for that. You did so much for me."

"I really didn't mind. I want to do things for you." He turned back towards me and gave me a gentle smile, his eyes filled with that emotion I still couldn't place.

I blushed and turned back to the books and worked on a few more receipts. I saw the one that I am pretty sure was for the ring Edward got. My heart dropped a little at the sight of it. I realized once again that I would never have Edward because he had Tanya. I sighed and put the receipt in the done pile once I checked it off in the inventory and put it in the books.

"So as I now know, I will never be doing any shots again. And I can never have that much to drink ever again."

"You were pretty wasted. I would recommend that decision." Edward smirked at me, and I smiled at him quickly before doing more of the receipts. I was getting towards the end.

"Thank God I am almost done with these receipts! This went so much quicker because I had your company. Thank you for hanging out with me here."

"I love hanging out with you. It's always nice, no matter what we are doing."

"It's the same for me. I love hanging out with you too."

We sat in silence again. But, it wasn't uncomfortable. Just silence. I finished the last of the receipts and then put them away in the folder marked this month, and then put that away in the drawer in my filing cabinet of all the receipts. I don't know why we keep them, but that is what the boss wants so it's what I do. I turned back around.

"Alright so now I just have to put in this months returns and then I will be done with these papers."

"Sounds good. Will you be done with work then? Or do you have other stuff you have to do?"

"Well I have to sit around here until closing time. But, my main work will be done." I plopped back down in my desk chair and spun it towards him. "So before I get into all my work stuff… We should talk about something. I don't care what. But we should do something interesting before I have to go back to working.

"Like what?"

"I don't know… Um tell me something about your childhood. Not too cheery of a subject, but how old were you when you were adopted by Esme and Carlisle?"

"I was eight."

"Oh man, that must have been really hard. You were still so young, but old enough to understand what was going on. Were you in the foster system for most of your life or were you…erm… how do I put this lightly… new to the system?" I asked biting my lip, hoping I wouldn't upset him with my questions. I just wanted to get to know him and where he came from.

"It's ok Bella. I can talk about it. I was brand new to the system when Esme and Carlisle adopted me. My father died when I was four, so I don't remember him much at all. My mother raised me by herself, in Chicago. We were really close, it was just the two of us, working through everything together. But, I am glad now that I didn't have another sibling that would have gone through what I did." I looked into Edward's sad eyes with a soft encouraging smile, and reached for his hand to give it a small squeeze. He smiled sadly once before continuing, "My mother died from lung cancer when I was seven. Just a month before my birthday." Edward swallowed thickly, and I could see the sadness and grief of his mother's death swimming in his eyes. And I could tell how much he really had truly loved her, through the sound of his voice and the looks crossing his face as he talked about her. Edward took a deep breath to calm himself and continued, "By the time I was in the system Esme and Carlisle had found me. I didn't stay long in any foster care before I left to become part of their family. By then I had turned eight."

I could see the sadness still in Edward's eyes from his story and felt terrible to him. He had had such a hard childhood. "That must have been so hard for you as a kid, having to go through that loss and grief, and then all of those changes at once. I am so sorry, Edward." I couldn't help myself as I reached my arms out for a hug. He leant forward wrapping his arms around me, as I did the same around him.

He buried his face into the hair on the nape of my neck and pulled me tight against his chest. I could feel how upset he was, by the tautness of his shoulders under my fingertips. I hated to see him upset, it made me upset too. He breathed in deeply, and seemed to just loosen up totally, and I felt him lean into me. I squeezed him closer, resting my head on his broad shoulder. I breathed in, smelling his scent so strongly it clouded my head. He tightened his grip on me and I heard him sniffle a little bit. He had said he was fine with his situation and talking about it, but now I can see it isn't. I did the same with my high school story though so I didn't hold it against him one bit. I wanted to comfort him more, but I didn't know what to do. I have never had to comfort a guy, and I never really hugged and held a guy like this before.

In an attempt I wasn't sure would work, I moved my hand from his upper shoulder and towards the back of his head to thread my fingers through his hair. It was so soft, and smooth and nice. I had wanted to touch his hair for so long, and now I finally got to do just that, and it wasn't in some creepy move that I was afraid I would end up doing. I moved my fingers back and forth a little bit, massaging his head softly. He sighed in content, and I could feel his hot breath fan across my neck. I nuzzled in his neck, feeling how warm and soft he was, but yet how hard his muscles were under his shirt.

We seemed to fit perfectly together, even though I couldn't even reach my hands around his back right now, and his arms were overlapping behind me. The difference was ok, it felt right between us. With him I felt tiny, unlike every other guy I had matched in size. It was great.

The tingles I got whenever I touched him were spread all over my body like a dull hum. It felt amazing. It was just perfect. I had this overwhelming feeling of safety in his strong arms. It made me feel that any time I was in his arms I was safe, and nothing bad could happen. It was incredible.

We sat there just hugging each other, Edward holding on to me tightly, as I comforted him, slowly massaging his head. The hug seemed to last for an eternity, but in reality it was only a few minutes. I was lost in our embrace, and the incredible feelings it gave me. Warmth, safety, love. It all overwhelmed me.

I felt Edward breathe in deeply and then sigh. He began to pull his arms away from behind me. I felt his soft lips press against my neck for a long moment before he pulled away. I immediately felt a loss as we moved apart. It was like a part of me left in his arms. I could still feel a heat where he had kissed my neck.

As we slowly sat back into our chairs, our eyes met, and we held each others gaze. I was still in the wonderful high of his touch and scent, and I wasn't able to hide the love I knew was in my eyes. His eyes were warmth, a tinge of the sadness, and mostly that emotion I still could not pinpoint. We just stared, it was like the diner. But this time I wasn't memorizing him. I was relishing the hug we just had, and remembering what it felt like. Memorizing the feelings, the emotions, the need for more and how it felt like a part of me was now missing and with him. But it was more than that too. It felt like he was staring at me, but not at _me_. His intense gaze made me feel like he was seeing my soul, like it was penetrating me that far. This was a different more intense look between us than ever before. It was so much more than a look. It was like we both knew that that hug meant something more than the comfort it gave. Like it showed us more. There was this unmistakable connection between him and I and it was pulling me towards him. That hug was amazing.

Eventually Edward smiled his eyes crinkling a little in the corners, and our intense moment was broken. His eyes were solemn, as he began to speak shattering the loaded silence. "It was hard to get through all of it. But I pulled through it. And I think just fine at that." He winked at me, that sad smile still a little there. "Esme helped me through it; she let me talk only when I wanted to and was comfortable to. She put me through therapy and that helped so much. Esme and Carlisle were a blessing to me. I don't know if I could have pulled out of that experience with anyone else but them."

I could see how much he dearly loved Esme and Carlisle through his words and the emotions that were painted on his face. He loved them with a lot of his heart. Not his whole heart because his mother and his brothers and sisters held the rest. He was a guy that held his family over anything else and loved all of them with his whole heart. What he went through seems to have showed him how important family is, and how much of a blessing they are. I learned a lot from him.

"They sound wonderful. I can't wait to meet Esme, and get to know Carlisle a little more than an introduction." I smiled.

"Esme would love to get to know you I am sure. And Carlisle already mentioned seeing you again when I talked to him this morning." Edward smiled brightly back at me. Talking about Esme and Carlisle made the sadness leave his eyes.

"What about the others Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice? How were they adopted? Is there stories behind them?"

"We all have a different story, something different than our parents dropped us off at an orphanage or left us at a hospital as a baby. Esme and Carlisle seemed to target people that had a troubled past and help them through it. They are very generous people, and are never done helping people.

"I was the first adopted of the kids. Rosalie was next, about a year after me. Her mother died while birthing her. Rose's father then treated her like dirt for her whole life. He ended up raping her and then beating her. Afterwards he dropped her unconscious out on the street with nothing. Her only possession was the locket with a picture of her mother that she cherished. The neighbors that lived in the apartment next to her found her cowering and crying in the alleyway the next afternoon. She was in really bad shape, a broken arm, black eye, ratted and muddy hair, bloody bruised and sore. She like me wasn't in the foster system for long before Esme and Carlisle took her into our family."

"Oh my goodness, that is so terrible. How old was she when that happened?"

"She was nine."

"She was so young. I can't believe any man could do that; especially to his own daughter. That is such a terrible thing."

"From what I have heard he went to jail. But, in a psyche ward, he had severe mental problems. It's assumed from his wife's death, and since she was birthing Rosalie, he blamed her and then treated her like trash. Rosalie was able to get some of her few possessions from the apartment. But, she couldn't go back to it herself. It held too many terrible memories and experiences."

"Poor Rosalie. That has to be the most terrible thing that could happen to a young girl, any girl. I can only imagine how frightened and scared she must have been."

"She's okay now. Esme and Carlisle were her saving grace also. As expected she was afraid of any grown men for a long time, but warmed to Carlisle quicker than we ever thought possible. She became very open with our whole family after not too long. Like me she went through therapy, a little more extensive as her problems were more than grief, but social issues, and terrible experiences that happened many times to her. She is now very callous and cautious around most men, but Emmett protects her from any douche bags out there. So she has pushed through it too and she gets through life normally."

"Wow, she must be so incredibly strong." I knew that if that ever happened to me I would not be able to get past it. I would never recover from it. And that is at the age of twenty-five. She was still a child, at nine years old. I pulled myself out of my depressing thoughts. And decided I should ask for the next story, "What about Emmett?"

"Emmett. Ok. Well he was slightly different; we didn't find him through a foster home, or adoption agency. Emmett was a patient of Carlisle's. It was about a year and a half after Rose joined our family. The poor kid was camping with his parents in the mountains just north of Forks. He normally lived in Seattle and made the journey to be more rustic. While they were sleeping their second night a bear came tearing through their campsite, looking for food. They hadn't made their food bear proof, and the bear began to tear through everything. Hearing the commotion outside the tent the family woke up, Emmett's father opened up the door to see what was making the racket never expecting it to be a bear. The bear immediately attacked. His parents protected him, keeping the bears attention on themselves, and away from Emmett. But it cost both of them their own lives in the process. The bear hurt Emmett pretty bad, but wasn't able to kill him before the park rangers came from the call Emmett was able to make before the bear headed towards him. The park rangers came just in time and killed the bear. They brought Emmett to the hospital in Port Angeles by helicopter.

"Carlisle was working at that hospital by that time in emergency trauma. He is considered the best emergency trauma surgeon in one hundred miles and so he got Emmett that night. Carlisle performed surgeries all night on him and some other procedures as well. When Emmett eventually woke up from the massive amounts of medicine and anesthetic he was under, Carlisle talked to him. Emmett was confused at first, and Carlisle had to remind him gently of what happened. Emmett realized that the nightmares he had been having had actually happened. He was of course completely frightened and traumatized after his experience. Carlisle befriended him, and visited him everyday even when he wasn't in the same unit anymore. We adopted him into our family when he was still in the hospital and he came home with us.

"Rosalie and Emmett had a connection immediately. We came to see Emmett in the hospital after he was put in a normal room, and Carlisle had been talking about him for a while. Carlisle wanted Emmett to meet some kids his own age and was hoping he could find some happiness in friends. We spent a lot of time at the hospital with him before he came home with us. In this time Rosalie and he became very close. It was like as soon as they saw each other they were best friends. They didn't become a romantic thing until a few years after. Rosalie went to see him on her own a lot without me, and it was great to see the two of them. Rose was still getting over her traumatic events, and they both seemed to help each other a lot. Rose ended up spending a few nights that Carlisle was working with him. They talked about their problems, and both helped each other through their own problems a lot. I would say that by the time Emmett got to us, he was already halfway back to being normal because of Rose."

"Oh wow. Poor Emmett, I can see he has obviously worked through it, from how I saw him. But I can't imagine that happening. It would be so terrible to see your parents be killed like that right in front of you as they are trying to protect you from harm." I shook my head back and forth at the thought of seeing my parents slowly hurt and killed by a bear right in front of my eyes. I had to force the picture away before I became upset over it. I felt the thought pop into my head and I tried to keep it from leaving my lips but it didn't work, and I blurted out, "Emmett's story kind of reminds me of Harry Potter's, seeing his parents die before him in the hands of a killer. And it was their love for him that kept the bear distracted long enough for the rangers to come."

Edward cracked a smile at me as I smacked my forehead at my stupid comment. "I can't believe I just made a Harry Potter reference to that. I think I seriously need to go replace my talk filter. Now. This is becoming ridiculous."

"It's ok. I like to hear what is on your mind. I find you hard to read. And I loved Harry Potter as a teenager too. Still love it actually. I was able to relate somewhat to Harry with not having his biological parents there. But I had Esme and Carlisle so I wasn't able to completely relate."

"I am glad to hear that you like my stupid big mouth. But, it's embarrassing to me! I hate it! I say the stupidest things all the time because of it!"

"I don't think that last thing was stupid. It was actually a valid connection. But, before you can degrade yourself more, would you like to hear about Alice and Jasper?"

"Yes please! I have to keep my mouth shut as long as you're talking and I am interested to hear where they came from."

"Ok, well Alice was next. We adopted her from a foster home after her parents had dropped her off at an insane asylum. Alice, well you will think we are all crazy." Edward looked at me warily but seemed to be pleased by the look in my eyes because he continued, "But, Alice tends to have these premonitions. She will get these feelings and thoughts that come from nowhere, or a random image will pop into her head. They aren't full blown visions, like a clip of the future. Sometimes she will get these premonitions from a dream, so there will be a picture of something, sometimes sounds or dialogue. She is always right in what she predicts. It ranges from silly things like who will win at baseball, but then it has been some big things that has happened to our family. She is different. And you probably think my whole family is full of nut jobs now."

"I haven't seen it myself so I can't believe it fully. But if you say its true I believe you. I want to see it for myself though." And it was true. If Edward believed it was true, than it must be. I trust him.

Edward seemed happy but very surprised with my answer, "Ok sometime you will then." Edward still seemed to be shocked by my reaction. "But, on with Alice's story. Alice actually has no memory of her life with her parents. All we know is what Esme and Carlisle were able to find out from the asylum. Alice's parents left her there when they couldn't take her crazy premonitions anymore. Alice had fought them to go to the asylum, rightfully so. But to knock her out, they hit her in the head with a frying pan, and then the asylum they gave her too much of some kind of drug. With the combination of the two it caused her to get permanent amnesia, and since she never saw anything from her old life again she was never reminded of her past, and no one ever told her. So she doesn't remember anything. And as she says, she doesn't want to remember anyway because her real parents were probably huge assholes from what she had heard about how they were and that they were so terrible to her. So she doesn't want to know what a horrible life it was for her there.

"The asylum Alice was in was running many illegal procedures, including the drugs they gave Alice, and that they took in someone so young without a doctor's approval first. The police found out about it, and moved all of the other inhabitants to another asylum. But they put Alice into an orphanage and she was put into foster care after a short while, she wasn't there long though. We do know that her first name is actually Mary, her middle name Alice. Alice had remembered the name Alice after she woke up in the asylum. She thinks that she remembered Alice because she hated Mary, and her friends called her by her middle name instead. She forbids us from calling her Mary ever, we always respect it, we wouldn't call her Mary for it would hurt her. Esme and Carlisle got her name lawfully changed to Alice Mary Cullen soon after she came to us. She demanded that she would not have her real last name Brandon be her last name, she didn't want to be associated with her parents."

"That would be so terrible, to not be able to remember anything from your past. That would be absolutely horrible. How old was she?"

"From the documentation given at the asylum she was eleven, when we brought her into our family. Emmett and I are a year older so we were twelve. Alice has come to not mind and just take her adoption into the Cullen family as the start of her life. She is content in that and knows her life is better with us by far anyway. She really doesn't want to know anymore than she already does from her previous life."

"Wow. Good for her. It would drive me nuts not remembering and not knowing."

"As it would I. But I think Alice is truly crazy, but in her own sane way. So I can't really say that she wasn't driven nuts by it." Edward chuckled, thinking about Alice. I smiled at his happiness thinking about his sister.

"Now for Jasper?" Edward asked, and I nodded eagerly wanting to hear Jasper's story. "Jasper is our newest to the family. He was the son of an army man. He traveled all over during his whole life, even when his mother was alive. He spent most of his childhood in the south, but moving everywhere from South Carolina to Texas. He was a loner, and was forced to be because he never stayed in one place, or school for too long. We were on vacation to Georgia to see some of Esme's relatives when Alice and Jasper met. Alice knew it was coming. Jasper was hanging out at the playground over by Esme's sister's house and when Alice saw him she ran right over to him and started blabbing away. She told him how they were going to be the best of friends forever and they were meant to meet there that afternoon. He looked at her like she was crazy." Edward laughed lightly, probably thinking of Jasper's reaction. "We ran over to the playground to see what was taking Alice so long when she had said she left her sweater there the day before. We came to see Alice swinging next to Jasper still talking on and on. He looked completely bewildered by her, and her words. People weren't usually that friendly to him. While we were there Alice befriended him, and they met at the playground every afternoon, staying for hours for around a week. Alice brought him to dinner at our Aunt's one night to introduce him to us, and we all included him quickly. We were visiting Esme's family for the whole summer because we barely got to see them. We all became close and began to love Jasper after seeing him everyday for a month. He was quiet and shy, but Alice loved him so we all couldn't help it. I was sixteen at the time, Alice and Jasper fifteen. Over this time Alice and Jasper became very close, and ended up dating and falling in love while there.

"Apparently Jasper had been living on his own in his father's and his house, as his father had gotten positioned overseas for the summer and Jasper didn't want to go that time. Esme was appalled at Jasper's father for just leaving him there, and was sad that Jasper had been stuck on his own that whole time. A couple weeks before the summer was over, Jasper got a visitor to his house, it was an army officer. The building that Jasper's father had been working in had been bombed. And there had been no survivors."

I clapped my hands to my mouth; I knew something was going to happen to Jasper's father. But that was so incredibly tragic. To be killed in war while working behind the lines. "Oh my goodness. Poor Jasper. Living with his father and going through so much because of him would be bad enough. But then to have been living on his own for so long, and then hearing his father was dead must have been terrible."

"Yeah. Jasper took it pretty hard, our family tried to be there for him as much as possible. We went to his father's funeral with him. We helped him move from Georgia to Forks, helping him sell some of his, and his father's things, the furniture and other things in the house. Alice was the only one he truly let in though. He stayed pretty closed off with the rest of us. We understood his feelings though, we all had felt our own pain and loss before. Esme already considered Jasper family from how close we had gotten over the summer. So we of course adopted him too. Carlisle didn't meet him until we came back to Washington as he had to stay and work. But, Carlisle didn't need any convincing to adopt Jasper after he heard all summer how close we all were to him. Plus, he knew that Alice was in love with him and wouldn't part from him"

"Wow. Esme and Carlisle sound like truly amazing people. Helping and adopting all of these troubled kids, and then giving them a great home. And getting their lives back to normal so you are the way you are today. That is amazing. Completely awing, and inspiring."

"They truly are. They will forever be all of our heroes. We all love them completely. We are truly grateful for them." Edward's face was full with the love for his family once again and my heart warmed at the look.

"I can tell you are just from how you talk about them the way you do. You love them more than anything in the world. I can see it all over your face."

"Well it's true." Edward smiled.

"I loved hearing the stories."

"Really? I would have found them depressing."

"I find them to be inspiring. It really shows how you have to make every moment with your parents and otherwise count. And it shows that there are people out there that are truly saints."

"I agree."

"Ok, so not to be insensitive but I should get working on these return slips so that I can be done on this book work for the day."

"I understand. That sounds good to me."

I pulled the sheets of returns towards me as I turned back towards my computer. I shook the mouse and the screen popped back up. "Ok…" I muttered, getting back in the groove, but now for returns. I forced air through tight lips as I tried to keep my mind from straying to thoughts of all of the stories of Edward's brothers and sisters.

I quickly found the first return- a necklace- on the inventory and added one to show that we had it back. And then I switched to the books to add in the loss of money from the return. I did one other for a bracelet before I heard the bells of the store door ring from the front.

I huffed, this person had bad timing. "I will be back soon. I just have to go handle the customer."

"Of course. If you want, I think I know what you were doing on there for the returns. I can finish them off if you want."

"If you can, and you want. Then sure. I would love you to." I stood up from my chair, giving my back a quick stretch and then walked into the store. I plastered on my smile for the customer as I walked out asking them if I could help them. It was a man looking for a ring for his girlfriend. He was going to propose at their nice dinner a couple nights later. I asked them how they met, and how long they have been together. The standard stuff. But, I still love to hear the adorable stories of how they met and fell in love.

I ended up helping him find the perfect ring for his girlfriend, and I was jealous of her. As soon as the guy walked out the door I sped back to my office. And Edward. I was expecting to see him smiling at me when I came in, but what I did see I hadn't been expecting. He was staring down at one of the return slips and a completely sad and depressed look on his face. His eyebrows were knit together and he seemed to be deep in thought.

I cleared my throat and snickered when he jumped in his seat his head whipping towards me. "Sorry I scared you."

"Don't worry about it. I was lost in my thoughts. I had it coming for me."

He put the return slip he was holding on the bottom of the stack. He then turned to me with a solemn look on his face. "The rest of the return slips are done."

"Thank you Edward!" I smiled thankfully at him.

"It's no problem. Glad to help." He smiled honestly at me, and I returned it.

"Alright so that's all I have to do for today. Now, all there is to do is sit until it is close enough to close time so I can leave."

"Cool."

"I guess." I chuckled, as I saved the last bits of my work after making sure Edward had done it right. He had, and I closed out all of the programs I had been using. I gathered up the last of the papers and filed them away.

"So what do you normally do after you're done with your work?"

"I usually either read one of my books, or I play solitaire on the computer. Sometimes both."

"Ooooh, thrilling." Edward teased. "Especially from what you said you can read and play solitaire at the same time."

"Shut up. You know what I meant, and I would like you to try and find something more fun to do."

"Okay okay. You're right. But, I am here today, so I think you will be more entertained."

"I think so too." I smiled and turned to him, "So do you have any big plans on how to entertain me? Or is your idea of fun staring at the walls?"

"Well of course not! I just don't know what to do in an office when you're bored. I never really had one of my own."

"We could play paper toss with the trashcan."

"Like the iPod app?" He looked at me confused.

"Um, yeah. But, we wouldn't play it on an iPod. We would play it in real life. I do have to warn you, I am pretty practiced by now. Angela and I play it all the time."

"Oh really?" Edward scowled at me playfully, "You're on."

"Bring it!"

**Alright so WHAT DID YOU THINK? You have to have something to review about after that giant! To remind you of all that happened this chapter so you can come up with something:**

**Bella woke up with a bunch of stuff done for her with no note. She left for work. Edward came to see if she wanted lunch and saw the result of her klutzy incident. They went to the diner, and Edward found out Bella was Charlie's daughter and then continued to tell her about Emmett's shenanigans and then the Jacob incident, where jake cried, found out he has a small dick, and Edward was then taken home in cuffs and underwear. After that they went in to the diner. Emmett showed up, and sat with them. He and Edward shared a few meaningful and loaded stares, like they were having a conversation with their eyes. Rose then came to the diner and forced Emmett to leave them alone. Then Jessica came to get their order. Bella then told Edward the stories from her high school years at Forks High. Edward got pissed at Jessica and made sure to say bellas name when she brought their pancakes. Jessica recognized bella, and they had a cat fight, where Edward told Jessica bella was his girlfriend. After they were done with their meal Bella forced Edward to let her pay the bill so she could silently provoke Jessica. Jessica ended up snapping and they had another cat fight that ended with Bella showing Jessica how wrong she was when her and Edward pretty much made out with no tongues. Emmett called B and E lovebirds to which Bella made sure Emmett knew they were strictly just friends. E was sad, and Emmett said she was lying. They went back to the store and B and E both admit they have felt true love. Bella gets to work, and after a bit she and E start to talk about what happened at the bar the night before. Edward seemed to be 'off' while he talked about what happened once bella was home and then what happened in the morning. Bella finished the books. She took a break and Edward then told her how him and all of his siblings were adopted by the Cullens. Bella starts the returns after that, but a customer comes and Edward finishes them for her. He was looking sadly at one return slip before he shoved it at the bottom of the pile. And that brings you to playing paper toss. **

**Ok so I would say that's the skinny of this chapter. Now that I have reminded you of everything why don't you review! Tell us what you think about what was going on with the loaded looks between the three Cullens at the diner? What about Edwards awkwardness about what happened the night before? And what about that return slip made Edward so sad? What did you think about the Cullen kid back stories? Jessica and Bella's cat fights? The Jake incident, Bella's high school years? The klutzy incident? EVERYTHING! JUST TELL US! **

**Thank you so much to the reviewers of last chapter and we hope to see reviews from you again! Thanks: MissingJames, Madjestic, PiecesOfMyHeartAreMissingYou, xXEmmExplosionXx, Valen Trentfort, and kroberts. **

**Let's go for more reviewers next chapter. Yes? You will get a special shout out next chapter! I GOT SOMETHING! If you are one of the first three people to review or reviewer number 10 and are not Lady Technicolor we will message you to get your name, or if you don't want your real name a name of your choice, in the next chapter or two depending on how it works out. One of us will also read one of your stories (Twilight, Harry Potter, or Vampire Diaries preferable) and give it a shout out next chapter! K? WE PROMISE! First three people and #10 not including Lady, will get those two things! SO REVIEW PEOPLE! There is nothing that will get us to want to write more than reviews from you guys! I will now shut up so you can review. Please and much thanks!**


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